Canadian-Nigerian woman arrested over threat to poison Yoruba, Benin people

Canadian-Nigerian woman, Amaka Sonnberger is set for arraignment in court on Monday, September 2 following her arrest by police in Toronto in a suspected hate-motivated threatening investigation.

According to a Sunday statement released by the Toronto Police Service, the 46-year-old suspect has been charged with “uttering threats” and will appear at the Ontario Court of Justice.

Sonnberger was arrested on Sunday after police received a call for a threatening incident on Wednesday, August 28, the statement said.

“It is alleged that the accused posted online content on or about August 25, 2024, threatening death to specific members of the Nigerian community,” the statement reads in part.

The case is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence, with the Toronto Police Hate Crime Unit involved in the investigation.

Sonnberger has been in the eye of the storm after her controversial comment during a virtual TikTok meeting about poisoning Yoruba and Benin people went viral.

The House of Representatives and the Hon. Abike Dabiri-led Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) petitioned Canadian authorities to demand an investigation into Sonnberger’s comment and her possible prosecution.