![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?")
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will declare his intentions to contest the 2023 presidential election in a matter of days, a source has told Chronicle NG.
The source revealed that the Vice President is not unaware of calls for him to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari but that he is also focused on the task at hand.
The source, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) told Chronicle NG that in a matter of days the Vice President will formally declare his interest.
The source explained that the Vice President embarked on consultations with party stakeholders, party members and Nigerians.
“This is a Nigerian project. Nigerians from all walks of life are involved in this and they have identified the Vice President has the man to lead the country.
Asked specifically how and when he will declare, the source said, “The declaration will be typical of the Vice President. It won’t be different from the communication style of the Vice President.”
On the specific date, the source said that no one can say for certain what day it will be. “I can assure you that it will not take weeks, it is only a matter of days before Prof. Osinbajo declares.
When pressed on a post made by Babafemi Ojudu on his Facebook page on Saturday that “it is a matter of hours”, the source said the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs was not incorrect.
“I think Senator is within his rights to say that we are hours away, indeed we are hours away. It could be 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours but it is certainly not weeks.
The source told Chronicle NG that the Vice President is very experienced and will not learn on the job.
“This is continuity and that is what Nigerians need. Beyond the fact that he will be receiving the baton from President Muhammadu Buhari, he is well equipped to lead Nigeria.
“Prof. Osinbajo has the experienced needed for the job and has demonstrated leadership in every task assigned to him by Mr President.
“He has also shown that he is loyal, he is scandal free and he is what the country needs,” the source said.
It would be recalled that there are numerous reports that have hinted that Prof. Osinbajo will declare his interest to succeed his boss but that is yet to happen.
His political adviser, Ojudu in a post yesterday hinted that the declaration will happen, describing it as the “mother of all declarations”.
“Prof Isah Yahaya begins the celebration ahead of the mother of all declaration speech. Not a question of if but when. It is a matter of hours,” he posted along with a video.
If Osinbajo does declare as stated by the source, he will be joining Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor Dave Umahi and Governor Yahaya Bello as aspirants on the platform of APC.
Others are , Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and senators Orji Uzor Kalu and Rochas Okorocha.
![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?")
