Imam Abubakar Abdullahi, the Chief Imam of Yelwa and Gindin Akwati in Barkin Ladi, Plateau State, has died.
In June 2018, armed terrorists raided Barkin Ladi LGA, making the late cleric well-known both nationally and internationally.
He opened his mosque and home to hundreds of Christians, allegedly saving about 300 lives, and refused to hand them up despite threats to his own life.
His bravery garnered him significant acclaim, including the 2019 International Religious Freedom Award from the US government.
On Friday, the Plateau State Government issued a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor, Gyang Bere, mourning the late Imam.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang described Imam Abdullahi’s death as “a monumental loss to his immediate family, his community, and Plateau State at large.”
According to the governor’s statement, the Imam’s life was marked by “unwavering commitment to peace, unity, and protection of the vulnerable, particularly women and children.”
The statement added, “Governor Mutfwang observed that the loss comes at a time when the state greatly needed the guidance, wisdom, and unifying presence of Imam Abubakar Abdullahi.
“He urged the immediate family and the entire community to take solace in the knowledge that the late Imam lived a life of faith, compassion, and fairness, leaving behind a legacy of service and peaceful coexistence.”
![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")
