![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")
Retired police officers have urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to step aside from discussions regarding their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), expressing distrust in his involvement.
During a protest at the National Assembly on Wednesday, the retirees called on lawmakers to take full charge of the matter without interference from the police leadership.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Association of Retired Police Officers under the CPS, CSP Manir Lawal (retd.), voiced concerns that recent developments had raised their fears about the process.
“That meeting at Jabi some weeks ago raised our tension. Before then, we were 100% sure that the National Assembly would exit police retirees from the CPS. But after that interaction, we became very worried,” Lawal said.
He accused the IG of meddling in an issue that should be handled exclusively by the National Assembly, pointing out that other security agencies, including the Army and the Department of State Services, had already exited the scheme.
“We are here to tell the lawmakers that we only know them as lawmakers. The Inspector General of Police is a civil servant, so he’s not a lawmaker. We see no reason why he should be interfering in the affairs of the National Assembly.
“The IG and other senior officers from the rank of AIG upwards are not under the CPS. Why is he encouraging us to remain under it while he and others are out? Let him answer this question for us,” he added.
Lawal also condemned what he described as years of financial injustice under the CPS, stating that retirees receive only 25% of their pension savings, while PENCOM withholds the remaining 75% for investment purposes.
“The cheating is too much. PENCOM has killed many of us with this CPS. This lump sum is a disaster in the sense that no matter the amount of money you contributed while in service, the moment you retire, that money will be divided into 100%. Then out of that 100%, it’s only 25% that will be given to a retiree.
“While PENCOM holds the 75%, then they are using it to yield interests in millions of naira. But we that were the original owners of the money, Kobo is not added to us in our monthly income. We don’t want anything from PENCOM. We want to go.”
The retirees insisted that the IG should remove himself from the issue and allow the National Assembly to handle their exit from the scheme.
“He (IG) should stop, back out, and allow the National Assembly to do their work. It is them we trust.
“If the IG is good, he is the number 12th IG, all of them made us continue to remain under the CPS. At that meeting in Jabi, he confirmed that we are suffering. If the IG truly cares about us, he should have acted immediately. That is why we are here today—to demand justice,” Lawal stated.
![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")
