![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 Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stated that the Federal Government will not tolerate any sort of bandit attack in Abuja.
Wike addressed the crowd on Wednesday during a town hall gathering with citizens from the FCT’s Bwari Area Council.
He called the meeting in response to increased allegations of kidnapping for ransom and homicide in the FCT.
Earlier on Tuesday, Wike met with the heads of security agencies in the FCT, top officials from the FCT government, and chairmen of the six area councils, during which he declared that the government was aware of the security situation in the territory.
Speaking at the town hall gathering on Wednesday, the Wike stated that President Bola Tinubu had directed him to supply everything the security agencies would require and that it would no longer be business as usual.
Recall that gunmen kidnapped and killed some residents, including a 13-year-old teenager, Folashade Ariyo, who was kidnapped along with ten other residents of the Sagwari Estate Layout in Abuja’s Dutse-Alhaji Area, and Najeebah Al-Kadriyar, a 400-level student of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, who was kidnapped along with 22 others in Bwari.
Speaking on Wednesday, Wike said, “Security is one of the key priorities of Mr. President’s administration.
“Yesterday, Mr. President summoned a high-level security meeting, which included all the service chiefs, the Minister of Defense, and my humble self, because of recent attacks, particularly in Bwari.
“And so, currently, it is one of the key priorities that Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda will want to face squarely.”
Wike added, “It is no longer going to be business as usual. Everything has to be done to protect lives and property.
“Without protection of lives and property, we have no business in government. My reason for coming here today is to assure you that we are very serious.
“All those criminals and bandits—enough is enough. We will do everything in our power to make sure that we do not allow this to happen again.
“That is why, just this morning, Mr. President gave me approval to provide everything required to the security agencies. And just like what Etsu-Bwari and Sarkin-Bwari said, it is not by merely talking; we are serious.
“Security agencies will not have any reason to say that they are not equipped; we will provide everything required.
“I know how big Bwari is, and I know that you have boundaries with three states: Niger State, Kaduna State, and Nasarawa State.
“I know because these bandits were chased away from the Northeast, so they are making their way here; we will make it hot for them,” he said.
Earlier, John Gabaya, Chairman of Bwari Area Council, revealed that the Council was made up of 16 districts as well as over 90 villages and hamlets and that the Council’s vastness and tough terrain made security concerns even more difficult.
He thus requested that security agencies in the area be provided with the necessary logistics, adding that each district would require at least one vehicle and seven motorcycles for effective patrol and surveillance, as well as training and retraining of hunters and villagers hired by the Council for security.
![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")
