![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")
Bureau de Change operators in Sokoto State have appealed to the federal government to provide special intervention funds to manufacturers.
The Chairman of the Bureau de Change operators, Alhaji Aliyu Sahabi, said the funds would greatly help in reviving the collapsed local industries.
“The revival of local industries is key to finding plausible solutions to the current recession hitting Nigeria hard.”
Sahabi said the revival of the industries would reduce poverty, unemployment and the high demand for the scarce foreign exchange.
The chairman further called for a special provision of foreign exchange to large scale importers to reduce pressure on the parallel market.
Sahabi described the recent move by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to cleanse activities of the foreign exchange market operators as a well development.
“We, Bureau de Change operators, really welcome any action that will rid the market of bad eggs to ensure that all the operators are law-abiding.
“Such action is crucial, more so that President Muhammadu Buhari is wagging a very commendable war against corruption.
“The president should sustain or even increase the tempo of the war, in spite the intricacies.”
The chairmen expressed optimism that the 2017 budget was capable of taking Nigeria out of recession and restore its economic prowess, if effectively implemented.
”My only appeal is that, the budget should be religiously implemented and all the programmes and policies aimed at reforming Nigeria’s economy sustained.
“These include Anchor Borrowers’ Programmes, diversification of the economy away from oil, as well as the planned recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture, among others.”
Recall that the government had already considered special consideration for manufacturers in the allocation of foreign currencies.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) considered about 7,792 requests for foreign exchange valued at over 867 million dollars to manufacturers and other strategic actors in the Nigerian economy in November.
Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr Isaac Okorafor, that allocation was in continuation of CBN’s resolve to ease foreign exchange pressure on manufacturers.
The access, Okoroafor noted, was given through inter-bank window to enable manufacturers and strategic actors to source for vital raw materials and spare parts for their respective industries.
He added that the figure was derived from a summary of the Forex Utilisation for the month of October.
The summary indicated that the raw materials sector received the highest allotment, getting access to foreign exchange valued at 355.7 million dollars representing 40.99 per cent of the total value.
