Nigerian Lawmakers Write to Canadian Government, Demand Prosecution of Woman Over Poison Threats Against Yoruba, Benin Communities

Nigerian lawmakers have formally petitioned the Canadian government to prosecute Amaka Sunnberger, a Nigerian national, after she appeared in a viral video threatening to poison members of the Yoruba and Benin communities in Canada. The video, which has caused widespread outrage, shows Sunnberger making alarming threats during a TikTok livestream. Speaking in Pidgin English, she expressed her intent to target Yoruba and Benin individuals at her workplace in Canada, urging others to “poison the Yoruba and the Benin.”

The incident has drawn significant attention from Nigerian authorities. The Chairman of the Nigerian-Canadian Parliamentary Friendship Group, Biodun Omoleye, and the Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora Matters, Tochukwu Okere, have jointly signed a petition addressed to the High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, James Christoff. Dated August 28, the petition calls for an immediate investigation and prosecution of Sunnberger, condemning her comments as “genocidal” and a clear violation of both international and Canadian laws.

Sunnberger’s inflammatory remarks are believed to have been made during an online discussion, where she expressed frustration over perceived mistreatment of the Igbo people, another major ethnic group in Nigeria. Her statements have been widely condemned, with Abike Dabiri, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, confirming that a group of Nigerians in Canada has already reported Sunnberger to Canadian authorities. Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a prominent Igbo socio-cultural group, has distanced itself from Sunnberger, stating that her actions do not reflect Igbo values.

In the petition, Nigerian lawmakers emphasized the seriousness of Sunnberger’s threats, noting that her statements “constitute a direct threat to the lives and safety of millions of Nigerians” both in Canada and abroad. They argue that her incitement to violence violates multiple international agreements and Canadian laws, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), as well as specific sections of the Canadian Criminal Code that criminalize the promotion of genocide and public incitement of hatred.

The petition outlines four key demands: an immediate and thorough investigation into Sunnberger’s actions by Canadian law enforcement; her prosecution under relevant sections of the Canadian Criminal Code; a public condemnation of Sunnberger’s actions by the Canadian government; and cooperation between Canadian and Nigerian authorities to prevent any potential escalation of violence as a result of Sunnberger’s incitement and to ensure justice is served.