![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")
The World Bank will on Tuesday, 30 September 2025 approve two loans totalling $750 million for Nigeria, targeting health security and a massive digital infrastructure rollout.
The package includes $500m for the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth in Nigeria (BRIDGE) project and $250m for Phase II of the Health Security Programme in Western and Central Africa, Nigeria.
Broadband for Underserved Communities
The BRIDGE initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is designed to connect millions in underserved areas. With a price tag of $1.6bn, it will be financed through concessional credit and private investment.
Minister Bosun Tijani described BRIDGE as “the most ambitious and foundational digital infrastructure project in Nigeria’s history,” pointing to a fibre-optic network expansion from 35,000km to 125,000km. The rollout will include seven national rings, 37 city loops, 77 regional networks and multiple edge data centres, managed through a special purpose vehicle where the federal government holds a 51% stake.
Health Security Boost
The second loan, worth $250m, will be managed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Finance. It aims to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to pandemics, while improving regional cooperation across West and Central Africa.
The World Bank said the initiative will build stronger surveillance systems and emergency response mechanisms, citing lessons from COVID-19 and other recent health crises.
Borrowing Debate
Nigeria has secured $8.4bn in World Bank loans between June 2023 and August 2025, spanning health, energy, education, governance and rural development.
But opinions remain divided. Lagos-based analyst Adewale Abimbola argues borrowing is positive “if it’s concessionary and tied to viable, revenue-generating projects.”
By contrast, economist Dr Aliyu Ilias warns of a mounting debt crisis. Nigeria’s public debt has jumped from N87tn under Buhari to N149tn today, with projections of N180tn soon. He asked: “Why are we borrowing more when revenues from tax and subsidy removal have risen? The debt burden is clearly squeezing funding for essential services.”
According to the Debt Management Office, Nigeria owes the World Bank $18.23bn as of March 2025, nearly 40% of the country’s external debt.
![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 "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
