![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 "Is Anthony Odiong still a priest after life in prison sentence over rape?")
BUA Cement has commenced the production of POP gypsum plasterboards at its Port Harcourt facility, less than a year after operations began at the 2,400-tonne-per-day plant, marking a significant expansion of its building materials portfolio.
Chairman of the company, Abdul Samad Rabiu, announced the development in a Facebook post, describing it as part of BUA’s broader push to deepen local manufacturing in Nigeria.
“Production has commenced at our Port Harcourt facility for POP gypsum plasterboards, building on the POP production we started earlier,” Mr Rabiu said.
The move positions BUA to tap into a long-standing supply gap in Nigeria’s POP market, which has historically relied heavily on imports to meet local demand.
The Port Harcourt facility, operating under BUA Gypsum Plaster Limited, has been described as the largest POP manufacturing plant in Nigeria. Beyond domestic supply, the company is also targeting export markets across West Africa as it seeks to grow regional market share.
POP gypsum plasterboards are produced using gypsum, a key raw material commonly used as a binder in cement, concrete and other construction products. The boards are valued for their white finish, fire resistance and suitability for interior mouldings.
Speaking in December 2024, Mr Rabiu—who owns 95.8 per cent of BUA Cement—said the plant would focus largely on the housing and construction sectors, where demand continues to rise.
Nigeria’s housing shortage, estimated at about 22 million units, continues to drive growth for cement and building materials producers in a market dominated by BUA Cement, Dangote Cement and Lafarge Africa.
The three manufacturers posted average EBITDA margins exceeding 45 per cent in the six months to June 2025, significantly higher than industry averages in Europe and other African markets.
EBITDA margin measures operating profitability before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation.
However, analysts argue that the dominant players are leveraging their size and market power to push through price increases, even amid concerns about weak demand.
“Plant capacity is growing faster than demand, yet prices keep rising,” said Olaolu Femi Boboye, Sub-Saharan Africa lead economist at CardinalStone.
![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 "Is Anthony Odiong still a priest after life in prison sentence over rape?")
