![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 Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 45-year-old pastor of a new generation church, simply known as Lucky, for allegedly defiling a 10-year-old girl in the Ihuaje town in Rivers State’s Ahoada East LGA.
According to reports, the arrest of the cleric was carried out by members of a local security unit known as the ‘ONELGA Security Planning and Advisory Committee’, which is overseen by a commander code-named OSPAC.
Chronicle NG also gathered that Precious Ihuruzu, Commander of OSPAC in Ahoada East LGA, led his troops to the locality after hearing about the incident.
The suspect, the pastor of a local church branch, was handed over to the Ahoada Police Division.
Dennis Otobo, a member of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, told reporters that he received a call from the State Ministry of Health’s gender desk concerning a case of child abuse and was asked to follow up, which he did.
Otobo added, “In the course of my investigation, I got to know that one Pastor Lucky (surname withheld), who is also the proprietor of a group of schools (private) in the Ihuaje community in Ahoada East, has been having sexual affairs with a 10-year-old girl in his care.
“This got to the knowledge of the parents. When the parents visited her on that Saturday at the pastor’s house, the girl now informed them of what she had been going through. That anytime he had affairs with her, he would give her N500 to keep quiet.
“Her parents immediately took the girl to the hospital, where they did a preliminary investigation.
“On that level, I decided to call the Divisional Police Officer for assistance and arrest. It was in the evening that the DPO told me that they should come on Sunday and that he was going to handle the case professionally. Truly, he did that because, as we are talking, the man (pastor) is in Ahoada Police Station, Ahoada East.”
Otobo praised the DPO of Ahoada Police Division, the Chief Security Officer of Ahoada East LGA, Hector Ekeakita, the OSPAC, and a rights activist, Prince Wiro, who is the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights and Accountability Campaign, for their various roles in ensuring the suspect’s arrest.
The gender advocate thus urged the police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the situation and, if proven guilty, to prosecute the suspect in court for prosecution.
When contacted, Grace Iringe-Koko, spokesperson for the State Police Command, verified the pastor’s arrest, stating that it was the result of a report of suspected defilement filed by the tween girl’s parents.
Grace Iringe-Koko said, “Yes, I can confirm his arrest. The pastor is with us here in the command. We received a complaint from the parents of the girl, and our men working with a local vigilante there arrested him. Investigations are ongoing.”
![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")
