Toronto Police have arrested a Canadian-Nigerian woman Amaka Sonnberger for allegedly making hate-motivated threats against the Nigerian community.
The 46-year-old is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on Monday, September 2.
Sunnberger threatened during a TikTok live session on August 25 to poison Yoruba and Edo people in Canada, accusing them of not being smart.
She said she wanted the Igbo people in Canada to “wake up” and become “wicked,” adding that they have been too “cool”. In another video, she boasted she could not be deported because she had Canadian passport.
The Nigerian House of Representatives immediately wrote to the Canadian government to prosecute her for inciting violence and genocide.
Toronto Police Service, in a Sunday statement on its website, said: “Toronto Police have arrested a woman in connection with a suspected hate-motivated threat investigation. The arrest follows a report received on August 28, 2024, regarding a threatening incident. Authorities allege that on or around August 25, 2024, Amaka Sonnberger, 46, of Toronto, posted online content threatening the lives of specific members of the Nigerian community.
“Sonnberger was taken into custody on September 1, 2024, and has been charged with uttering threats. She is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, September 2, 2024, at the Ontario Court of Justice, located at 2201 Finch Avenue West.
“The investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence.”
Several high-profile Nigerians including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former presidential candidate Peter Obi have since condemned the woman’s statement.
