![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")
Some residents of Lagos State lamented the impact of heavy rainfall and the attendant floods that affected several parts of Nigeria’s commercial centre on Monday.
The early morning rainfall, which lasted about four hours, caused floods in many Lagos communities and forced motorists and road users to wade through gridlock and flooded roads to get to their respective destinations and handle their businesses.
Frustrated residents posted photos and videos on social media showing roads overtaken by floods.
Such roads include the Marina road on Lagos Island, the Pen Cinema area of Agege, the Aboru-Iyana-Ipaja-Ile-Epo area, streets of Dolphin Estate in highbrow Ikoyi area, amongst other areas.
In the Maryland area of the state, the situation almost turned tragic as nine persons — mostly ladies — were trapped when a building started sinking there.
It took a combination of emergency workers to get them to safety, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.
Dolphin Estate….Jeez!!
Ahhh Lagos…
We need to really solve this flooding issue EVERYTIME it rains so heavily…and it is not about moving somewhere else..
Drainage should always be considered FIRST before we build seeing that we are a coastal settlement.. pic.twitter.com/4Y61odN4nT— Kate Amaka Henshaw (@HenshawKate) September 12, 2022
The Lagos Territorial Coordinator of the agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, in a statement to Channels Television said the building is located at 47 Akinwunmi street in Mende, Maryland, Ikeja.
“All nine trapped ladies have been successfully rescued,” he said.
The NEMA official quoted one of the rescued persons identified as Ms Blessing to have said the affected are mostly ladies.
“About 35 buildings on Akinwumi Estate, 31 buildings on Arowojobe Estate, and Ebun Otti Estate are seriously impacted,” the official added.
Elsewhere in the state, two persons were not as lucky as the Mende nine. They were swept away by the floods and Farinloye said they both lost their lives.
“A man simply Known as Alfa was swept away as a result of heavy downpour that have caused heavy flooding that took over the whole communities of Ajayi Street, Olubodun Ifesowapo, Olubodun, Fafunwa, Ipaja West and Tioluwani in Alimosho LGA,” the NEMA official said.
See Lagos with flood!!!! pic.twitter.com/qbNYxgb4CB
— Ibn Solah ????️ $RCADE (@abideensolahud2) September 12, 2022
“The deceased was said to have initially escaped with his wife and four children but the man was said to have returned to his house to pick some items in course of which he was swept off.
“While another adult male was said to have missed his steps on the Command bridge and fell on the running water. Before help could reach him, he had been carried away.”
Reacting to the flood, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the state, Gbenga Omotoso, said this was a flash flood and it is currently a global phenomenon.
“The floods disappeared just a few hours after the rains. They are flash floods. Lagos State Government and local governments are clearing the drains all the time. So, the drains have been cleared.
“There is no way you won’t find flood because it rained for several hours. In fact, if you know what is going on in parts of the world now (it is not strange). In Pakistan, hundreds of people have died but here we are very lucky. I have driven around this evening and I can’t find floods anywhere. It is flash flood,” the commissioner said.
![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")
