The suspect, Amaka Patience Sonnberger
Police in Canada have arrested a woman, Amaka Sonnberger, who threatened to kill Nigerians living in that country.
The woman will appear in court today after her arrest on Sunday by Toronto Police for allegedly making hate-motivated threats against the Nigerian community.
Amaka, 46, was apprehended on Sunday following an investigation into online content she posted on August 25, threatening violence against specific members of the Nigerian community.
Charged with uttering threats, Sonnberger will face a judge at the Ontario Court of Justice.
The case is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence, with the Toronto Police Hate Crime Unit involved in the investigation.
The Toronto Police Service, in a Sunday statement on its website titled, “Suspected Hate-Motivated Threatening Investigation, Woman Arrested,” revealed this.
It read, “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. Police are urging anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-3500 or reach out anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.222tips.com.”
The action by the police was in response to petition by the Nigerian government on the matter.
The House of Representatives and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission had petitioned the Canadian authorities, demanding an investigation and prosecution of the woman.
Sonnberger’s threat
In a video clip that started trending on X.com last Tuesday, a woman’s voice was heard making anti-Yoruba comments during a virtual meeting on TikTok.
She spoke mainly in Pidgin English, threatening to poison Yoruba and Benin people.
She said: “Record me very well; it’s time to start poisoning the Yoruba and the Benin. Put poison for all una food for work. Put poison for una water, make una dey kpai one by one”.
The post sparked outrage from concerned Nigerians who swarmed the Internet, demanding her arrest alongside her other accomplices for calling for the death of other Nigerians during a social media engagement.
