![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-300x200.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
The Presidential Amnesty Programme Office says it plans to establish 10,000 farms with an expected total revenue generation capacity of N58 billion annually under its agricultural programme for 2017.
This was disclosed by the Coordinator of the programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd) in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
According to Boroh, If 10, 000 Ex-agitators are successfully trained to be farm owners, they can employ 40, 000 farm workers and a logistics Processing Value Chain of 30, 000 Jobs across the Niger Delta.
“The impact of this initiative on the economy is that if each of the 10,000 ex-agitators are gainfully trained, they may generate N240 million yearly which will amount to N240 billion.
“While the 40,000 farm workers will in return also generate N600, 000 each which is N24 billion, while Logistics/Processing will yield N360,000 for 30,000 workers yearly which will amount to N14.8 billion.
“You can see that the agricultural sector provides more employment opportunities to the labour force which can reduce the high rate of unemployment in developing countries caused by the fast growing population,’’ he explained.
He said the initiative by Presidential Amnesty Office was geared toward ensuring that people of the Niger Delta region earned a living rather than beg for it.
“Nigeria is blessed with arable land that tolerates cultivation for all seasons.
“The Niger Deltan people are committed to exploring the agricultural potential of this nation to its maximum advantage.
“Today, processing, marketing and distribution of crops and livestock products are all acknowledged as part of agriculture.’’
Boroh, who is also the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta affairs, said that President Buhari’s administration was committed to laying a solid economic foundation for the future through mechanised farming.
NAN recalls that 3,010 beneficiaries had so far been trained under the initiative and empowered as part of Federal Government’s efforts to gainfully engage them on responsible living.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
