![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 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has eliminated over 40 terrorists in synchronized close air support and air interdiction missions in the Azir and Musarram regions of Borno, thwarting intended assaults and enhancing current ground efforts.
This was included in a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Sunday in Abuja.
Ejodame stated that the operations took place on January 15 and 16 by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, based on actionable intelligence and in close collaboration with ground troops.
He stated that the NAF aircraft promptly reacted to a distress call at Azir in the early hours of January 16, where soldiers were confronting terrorists retreating from the region.
He stated that additional scans uncovered terrorist groups trying to regroup beneath adjacent tree coverage, leading to targeted and successive airstrikes that eliminated many of them.
“Post-strike assessment confirmed no further threats, while feedback from ground troops, local authorities, and community sources indicated a significant degradation of terrorist presence and a return of relative calm.
“Earlier on January 15, NAF air assets carried out a successful air interdiction at Musarram in the Tumbuns general area after intelligence revealed terrorists assembling on canoes to launch attacks along the Baga and Fish Dam axis.
“On arrival, the aircraft sighted about 10 canoes and over 40 suspected terrorists, who were engaged in multiple passes, throwing them into disarray.
“Some fleeing elements were trailed and neutralized, while others who regrouped at an assembly area were also engaged, effectively dismantling the terrorist concentration,” he said.
In response, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, reiterated the NAF’s dedication to delivering prompt and effective air assistance to ground troops.
Aneke stated that the operations showcased the efficacy of intelligence-driven aerial strength and the tight coordination between air and ground forces in restricting terrorists’ operational freedom.
He guaranteed Nigerians that there would be ongoing efforts against terrorist groups as the Armed Forces of Nigeria work to diminish their strength and stabilize impacted regions.
Azir and Musarram, found in the Damboa Local Government Area of Borno, have consistently been centers of ongoing insecurity due to the actions of Boko Haram and its offshoot, ISWAP.
In November 2025, troops near Wajiroko in Azir Multe were attacked, resulting in the deaths of soldiers and Civilian Joint Task Force members, alongside the execution of captured Brigadier General Musa Uba.
![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?")
