![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")
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Lionel Messi are three of the 40 players shortlisted for Uefa’s team of the year.
Also on the shortlist is Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez and ex-team-mate N’Golo Kante (now at Chelsea) who both featured during Leicester’s Premier League win.
The other Premier League players included are Aaron Ramsey, Toby Alderweireld, Laurent Koscielny, Paul Pogba, Kevin de Bruyne, Dimitri Payet, Joe Allen, Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez.
Champions League winners Real Madrid are the most represented club with goalkeeper Keylor Navas, defenders Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal and Pepe, midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, and forwards Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo included.
Barcelona have five players on the list in Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar, Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique.
Chelsea’s duo of Eden Hazard and Diego Costa and Arsenal Mesut Ozil were among some of the notable names not shortlisted.
In total there are four goalkeepers, 12 defenders, 12 midfielders and 12 forwards.
Fans can vote for the team of the year on Uefa’s website until 3 January.
The 40-man shortlist (in alphabetical order by position):
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Keylor Navas (Real Madrid), Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid) Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon).
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hostspur) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Leonardo Bonnuci (Juventus), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Pepe (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).
Midfielders: Joe Allen (Stoke), Kevin De Bruyne (Man City), Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Grzegorz Krychowiak (PSG), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Dimitri Payet (West Ham), Paul Pogba (Man Utd), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal).
Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Man City), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Man Utd), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Neymar (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Barcelona).
