By Pascal Ibe
Claim
An X user, @WaleBolatito, claimed that the ex-governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, apologized on behalf of Amala, a Canadian woman who threatened to poison the Yoruba and Benin people in August.
Verdict
This claim is FALSE. In two separate posts on X on August 30 and September 4th, while reacting to this, the 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate vehemently condemned the comments by Amaka Summberger.
Full Text
An X user named @WaleBolatito has claimed that the former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi apologized on behalf of Amaka Summberger who threatened to poison Yoruba and Benin people.
In a post on X, the user claimed Mr Obi said, “Don’t blame Amaka Summberger, the Yorubas and Benin people forced her to make such statement.“
“Peter Obi apologizes on Amaka’s behalf“
The post generated over 133k.
Many persons who believed this slammed Mr Peter Obi for supporting a tribal bigot.
Background
On August 28, Abike Dabiri, the chairperson of a federal agency, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, disclosed the identity of a Canada-based woman who threatened to kill fellow Nigerians living in the North American country.
In a video clip circulating on X (formerly Twitter), a woman’s voice is heard making anti-Yoruba comments in what appears to be a virtual meeting on TikTok. The woman spoke mainly in Pidgin English.
“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 woman, later identified by Mrs Dabiri as Amaka Patience Sunnberger, said in the virtual meeting.
The woman vowed that she would take poisonous substances to her workplace and poison any Yoruba or Benin person she came across.
She claimed that her comment was in response to the “hate” against the Igbo. Some other voices could be heard, interjecting and prodding her.
Her Arrest
On 2nd September, the police in Canada arrested the Canada-based Nigerian woman, Amaka Sonnberger, who threatened to poison Yoruba and Benin people living in the North American country.
The Toronto Police Service, Canada, said Ms Sonnberger, 46, was arrested on Sunday and that she has been charged with uttering threats.
“She is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice, 2201 Finch Avenue West on Monday, September 2nd, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 107,” the Toronto Police said in a statement published on their website on Sunday.
“This investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence,” the police said, adding that those who wish to volunteer information on the case should contact them.
Verification
A thorough search by FactWatch shows that no credible news organization in Nigeria reported that Mr Peter Obi apologized Amaka’s behalf.
This Fact Checker couldn’t find any post that supported this claim on any of the verified social media accounts of Mr Peter Obi.
But reacting to the comments by the Canadian woman, the 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate vehemently condemned it
In a post on his X account on August 30, Mr Obi wrote, I utterly condemn the reported hateful statement and actions attributed to a Nigerian woman living in Canada against other Nigerians of diverse origins. Such divisive comments or behaviour have no place in our society.
In another post on 4th September, He said, “Following my recent comment on the Nigerian woman living in Canada, who made very distasteful comments against her fellow Nigerians in Canada. While condemning such a level of tribal and religious division, I have received a barrage of reactions from people, many of who tried to justify their actions.
“Some explained that her comments were in reaction to earlier hateful comments made by another Nigerian and reportedly directed at other Nigerians of the Igbo ethnicity which I also now condemn in the strongest terms.
“As I mentioned then, and still maintain now, tribal tension and religious division must not be allowed to grow among us. Such divisive and hateful comments and behaviours against one another should have no place among us.
“We must remain one united nation, focused on solving the myriads of challenges facing us as a nation. We must unite against the further polarisation of our nation along tribal, religious and political lines, and focus on finding lasting solutions to the challenges of high insecurity, unbearable high cost of living and leadership failure that has continued to weigh us down.
“With faith in our nation, may we embrace unity and peace, so that we can achieve true progress, growth and development in our nation. On one united and peaceful nation, shall the New Nigeria stand. It is POssible.
Conclusion
An X user @WaleBolatito deliberately made this post to mislead the public and to promote tribal bigotry in Nigeria.
This is an act of disinformation.
