![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")
Justice Chukujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday adjourned the trial of Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti state, and his company, Spotless Investment Limited, over an alleged N6.9bn fraud, till March 20, 2023.
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had, on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, re-arraigned Fayose and Spotless Investment Limited on an 11-count charge bordering on money laundering and stealing to the tune of N6.9bn (Six Billion Nine Hundred Naira).
The defendants had first been arraigned on October 22, 2018 before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.
When asked about his experience at the EFCC by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, at the resumed sitting today, Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence, said: “I turned myself in at the EFCC.
“I came in from the United States of America, USA, and walked into the EFCC office.
“I was immediately criminalized and locked up for 21 days.
“Yes, a letter of complaint was written from the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA. But I believe that it was written out of ignorance because after all the investigations, I was exonerated.”
During cross-examination by counsel to the second defendant, Olakekan Ojo, SAN, on how the sum of N2.2bn was budgeted for the 2014 Ekiti State governorship election of Fayose from the Office of the NSA, Obanikoro stated that the funds came from the NSA’s Security account to Silver Maclamaran Nigeria Limited, a company under his control.
He, however, distanced himself from the operations of Silver Macmalaran, the company whose account was used to warehouse the sum of N2.2bn from the NSA’s impress account.
When asked what he knew about the fund-raising committee set up for the 2014 Ekiti State governorship election of Fayose, he said: “I was the chairman of the Committee and a lot of funds were contributed even up to the national level of our party.”
Also, when asked if he could remember the name of any member of the fund-raising committee, he mentioned two names: T.K. Aluko and Lateef Agbaje.
Obanikoro, who admitted being the owner of Silver Maclamaran, however, denied being a signatory to the company.
According to him, “ Olalekan Olafare is signatory to the company’s account.”
The case was adjourned to March 20 and 21, 2023 for continuation of trial.
![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")
