![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")
Lionel Messi has been ruled out of Argentina’s next friendly in the United States with a hamstring injury, the Argentina Football Association announced on Monday.
The Inter Miami legend was scheduled to play for the world champions in friendlies against El Salvador in Philadelphia on Friday and Costa Rica in Los Angeles on March 26.
However, the 36-year-old Argentine skipper has yet to heal from a hamstring injury sustained during Miami’s 3-1 triumph over Nashville in the CONCACAF Champions Cup the previous week.
Messi, who was replaced shortly after halftime in the win over Nashville, did not play in Miami’s victory over D.C. United in Washington on Saturday.
“The captain of Argentina, Lionel Messi, will not be able to be in the squad for the friendlies in the USA due to a minor injury to the hamstring of his right leg suffered in his team’s match against Nashville SC,” the Argentine federation said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Miami coach Gerardo Martino intimated following his team’s win over Washington on Saturday that Messi might skip the March internationals to ensure his fitness for next month’s CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals.
“It is clear that with him there is an objective that he can play in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. We’re not going to take any risks,” Martino said.
