Nigerian Woman Arrested in Canada for Threatening Some Nigerian Communities

Amaka Sonnberger, a 46-year-old Nigerian woman, has been arrested by the Toronto Police Service for allegedly threatening to poison and kill individuals of Yoruba and Edo descent living in Canada. The arrest took place on September 1, following reports that she had posted threatening content online around August 25, 2024.

According to a statement released by the Toronto Police on September 2, Sonnberger is accused of making threats against members of the Nigerian community. She is set to appear in court on Monday, September 2, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., in courtroom 107 of the Ontario Court of Justice, 2201 Finch Avenue West. The investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offense.

Police have urged anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-3500, or reach out anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or www.222tips.com. The statement highlighted that hate-motivated offenses reported to police may be investigated by divisional officers with the support of the Hate Crime Unit (HCU), or exclusively by the HCU in certain cases.

Under Canadian law, if a criminal offense is believed to have been motivated by bias, prejudice, or hate, this can be considered an aggravating factor during sentencing. Offenses such as the willful promotion of hatred and advocating genocide require the Attorney General’s consent to lay charges and may be addressed at a later stage.

The incident reportedly occurred during a TikTok discussion, where Sonnberger allegedly expressed frustration about perceived marginalization of the Igbo community and threatened to poison her Yoruba colleagues at work. Her comments prompted calls for her arrest from Nigerian groups, including members of the House of Representatives.

In a subsequent audio message, Sonnberger dismissed the calls for her arrest and deportation, stating that she is a Canadian citizen and claiming that no action could be taken against her.