![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")
Residents of Southwest Nigeria has insisted that there is “no going back” on the implementation of Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) Operation Amotekun by protesting on Tuesday.
Pressed to protect their people from unusual forms of criminality that crept into the region last year, the governors of the six Southwest states of Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti on January 9 launched the joint security outfit with the overwhelming support of all class of people – traditional rulers, hunters, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), the intellectuals – among others.
But the Federal Government on January 14 declared the outfit illegal through Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami.
The Nation reports that to press home the support for the initiative, protesters were organised by non-government organisations and groups in all the six capitals of Ikeja, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Osogbo, Akure and Ado-Ekiti.
“We are not ready to abandon our people. We shall stand by the people of the Yoruba race notwithstanding the pressure,” Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, told protesters in Akure. He was represented by Gbenga Ale.
Security operatives cordoned off the venue of the rally in Lagos, but it held amidst tight security in the other capitals.
Scores of socio-cultural and militia groups under the aegis of the Yoruba World Congress (YWC) facilitated the protest to denounce Federal Government’s opposition to Amotekun and show their support for the initiative.
Some of the major groups involved in the rally are the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Agbekoya Union, Hunters Group of Nigeria, Yoruba Youth Socio-cultural Association (YYSA), Atayese, Yoruba Reconciliation Groups, Kaaro Ojiire group, Majiyagbe Vigilante Group, United Self Determination People, Oodua Liberation Movement, Oodua Sovereignty Defence Agenda, Ojulowo Omo Oodua Group and the Soludero Group.
The protesters displayed placards with similar inscriptions like “Yoruba Omo Oodua: Protect Yourself, Amotekun,” ”On Amotekun we stand”, ”We want to know who owns the land. Amotekun” and No Amotekun, No Hisbah.”
![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")
