The House of Representatives committee on diaspora matters has urged the Canadian authorities to prosecute one Amaka Patience Sunnberger for “hate speech”.
The request is contained in a letter jointly signed by Tochukwu Okere, chairman of the committee; and Biodun Omoleye, chairman of Nigeria-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group
This is coming after Amaka’s voice was heard making anti-Yoruba comments during a virtual meeting on TikTok which has gone viral online.
Amaka, who claimed to be a resident of Ontario, Canada, vowed to take poisonous substances to her workplace and harm any Yoruba or Benin person she came across.
She claimed her comments were in response to the “hate” against the Igbo.
The letter by the Diaspora committee reads, “On behalf of the Nigeria-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group and the House Committee on Diaspora Matters, we are writing to express our deep concern regarding the actions of Ms. Amaka Patience Sunnberger, a Nigerian citizen residing in Canada.
“Ms. Sunnberger has recently been recorded making inflammatory statements that incite violence against the Yoruba and Edo ethnic groups in Nigeria, including advocating the poisoning of food and water supplies to achieve their mass genocide.
“Ms. Sunnberger’s recorded statements constitute a direct threat to the lives and safety of millions of Nigerians. Her incitement to violence and call for genocide through poisoning are not only deeply troubling but also represent a clear violation of multiple international, Canadian, and Ontario laws.
“Such rhetoric is dangerous and has the potential to incite real-world violence, both in Nigeria and within the Nigerian diaspora.”
“In light of the seriousness of these violations, we respectfully request the following actions:
“Investigation: An immediate and thorough investigation should be conducted into Ms. Sunberger’s actions by Canadian law enforcement and appropriate authorities.
“Prosecution: We urge that Ms. Sunberger be prosecuted under the relevant sections of the Criminal Code of Canada to hold her accountable for her incitement to genocide and hate speech.
“Public Denouncement: We request that the Canadian government issue a public condemnation of Ms. Sunberger’s actions to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to combatting ha e speech, violence, and genocide.
“Collaboration with Nigerian Authorities: We also request that Canadian authorities collaborate with Nigerian authorities to prevent any potential escalation of violence as a result of Ms. Sunberger’s incitement, and to ensure that justice is served.”
