![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 Rivers State Police Command has apprehended two renowned kidnappers who kidnapped and buried alive a former Chairman of the Community Development Committee in the state’s Kereken-Boue, Khana Local Government Area.
According to the police, the kidnappers collected N200,000 from the victim’s wife as part of the ransom before burying him alive.
On Monday, the state commissioner of police, Olatunji Disu, stated this during his first news conference in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
While noting that the kidnappers confessed to the murder, Disu stated that two additional armed robbery suspects were also apprehended after a neighborhood sweep.
The police boss also revealed that, upon interrogation, the kidnappers confessed to the killing of nine other victims in the state over the span of three years.
He stated, “On the day of resumption, I had before me a security deficit in many areas of Rivers State. One of those areas was Khana Local Government Area, and we immediately deployed tactical units to quell the situation.
“After concluding intense surveillance on November 15, in separate crack operations, men of the Anti-Cultism Unit arrested Baridapdo Igia, 33, and Elvis Gordon, 26, two suspected armed robbers and kidnappers in the Kereken-Boue community of Khana Local Government Area.
“After a series of interrogations, the duo confessed to being the leaders of Iceland and Degbam cult groups in Khana Local Government Area, respectively, and had been terrorizing Khana Local Government Area for the past three years.
“These cult groups have been known to have endless clashes in the community. During interrogations, they also admitted to kidnapping and burying alive Praise Daakian, a former CDC Chairman in Khana Local Government Area.
“They murdered the victim after collecting the sum of NGN200, 000 as part payment for his release from the victim’s wife.”
He added that the kidnappers “also confessed to murdering nine other victims from 2021 to 2023 and were the main reason for the partial evacuation of the community within this same period. Investigations are still ongoing to uncover the full scale of the suspects’ operations.”
In the same vein, the CP said three suspected armed robbers were arrested by operatives on a routine patrol in the Trans-Amadi area of Port Harcourt.
He said, “Operatives of the command attached to the Mini-Okoro Area Command, Port Harcourt, on November 20, 2023, at about 2200 hours while on patrol along Danjuma Drive, Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, intercepted a tricycle (popularly called Keke) with three occupants named Elsharawy Joseph, 27, Okujagu town, Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt.
“The others are Thankgod Achese, 23 years old, of Orumu Street, Abuloma Town, Port Harcourt, and Ibrahim Ishaq, aged 25, of Okwujagu, Port Harcourt, suspected to be cultists and armed robbers.
“Upon a thorough search, one locally made pistol and a dagger were recovered, along with the tricycle, which is suspected to be stolen. The suspects confessed to the crime of robbery using the ‘one chance’ model and have successfully robbed and stolen phones and valuables from unsuspecting victims.
“They use their tricycle (Keke) along Odili Road and Abuloma areas to search for passengers to rob and push the passengers out after forcibly taking their valuables. They owned up to using a dagger and a locally made pistol to scare their victims. They obtained the pistol from one Nkpogeto, who is still at large.”
CP Disu added that battling crime and criminality in society is a communal responsibility, and he urged inhabitants of the state to assist the police by submitting credible and timely information, allowing the command to conduct more raids.
![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")
