![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?")
The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos, claims it is exposing House of Representatives (law makers) members-elect to upcoming challenges in health, education, and security, among other areas.
Prof. Sola Adeyanju, its spokesperson, made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja while speaking with State House journalists on the sidelines of the Strategic Leadership conference for newly-elected public office holders.
“The purpose of this retreat is to ensure that we expose our lawmakers, particularly newly-elected legislators, to research conducted in specific areas of our national life.”
“Areas such as health and education security; there have been a lot of works done and recommendations made; and we have a lot of implementation strategies that can help lawmakers understand what their role will be.”
“We want a situation in which newly elected lawmakers can come in and hit the ground running.”
“We want to give them an idea of what kind of bill we need and where we actually need some bills and lawmaking,” he added.
Prof. Adeyanju noted that existing proposals must be implemented since they would have far-reaching consequences for the nation.
“For example, recommendations were made on the type of educational system that we could have without having incessant strikes.”
“We have worked on funding healthcare services that are important to people at the grassroots level, as well as how the government can look for funding to ensure that healthcare services are adequate.”
“Some of these proposals are laying fallow out there, and we believed we should expose the new parliamentarians to them before the next Assembly is declared,” he added.
Some of the incoming legislators also spoke with the journalists.
According to Inuwa Garba (PDP-Gombe) of the Yamatu Deba Federal Constituency, the retreat provided the lawmakers-elect with the necessary expertise for law-making.
“I have to commend NIPPS for organising this programme, which I believe will provide members-elect with some basic requirements for the tasks ahead.”
“I believe we gained a lot in terms of presentation quality and answers to so many questions that were raised,” he remarked.
Chinwe Nnabuife, member-elect of Anambra’s Orumba North and Orumba South Federal Constituencies, described the retreat as “enriching.”
“This programme is very informative and educative; coming from our backgrounds, we have been made to understand what the policy-making processes are,” she remarked.
Nnabuife went on to say that freshly elected MPs were taught about policy formulation, policy execution, and policy assessment.
“We in the 10th Assembly are particular about making policies and ensuring that they are implemented and evaluated for the good of Nigerians; it will not be business as usual,” she said.
The retreat’s first two days were devoted to governors-elect, their deputies, and senators-elect.
![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?")
