![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")
Suspected bandits killed eleven people in two villages in Sokoto State’s Gandi District of the Rabbah Local Government Area within a week.
A source who spoke with our correspondent from one of the affected villages confirmed that the attacks that were launched in Gidan-Buwai and Maikujera within the local government also resulted in the rustling of over 300 animals.
The separate attacks occurred in the two communities in less than a week.
The source, who gave his name as Salisu Gandi, said the bandits who attacked the Gidan-Buwai community arrived at the village on Monday night.
“They also rustled over 100 cows, 200 sheep, and goats belonging to the community members as well as some residents of the community in the process,” he said.
Gandi further explained that the insurgents riding motorcycles numbering over 100 arrived and surrounded Gidan-Buwai village with sophisticated weapons and immediately started shooting, indiscriminately killing and injuring others.
He described the attack as the worst incident as the bandit razed many houses, over 60 silos, 10 motorcycles, and five vehicles, while seven people sustained various degrees of injuries.
According to him, the bandit also burgled many shops and stole essential commodities and food items.
The gunmen also hunted vigilante members in the villages, where they intensified a house-to-house search of the vigilante members.
However, a few days ago, the bandit also attacked Maikujera village and killed five, while many people sustained various degrees of injuries.
Victims who sustained injuries were admitted to the trauma centre of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital.
When contacted, the spokesman for the state police command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, confirmed the incident but declined to comment on the figures.
He assured residents that the Nigerian Police would make their findings known to the general public upon completion of their investigations.
In a related development, there was also a report of another attack in the early hours of Wednesday in Maikara village, Kware Local Government area of the state.
One of the residents of the village who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity said the gunmen killed two people, a father and his son, in the attack.
He also disclosed that five people were kidnapped by the gunmen during the raid, which he said took almost two hours.
![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")
