Nigerian woman arrested in US over alleged illegal voting

A Nigerian woman living in Lynn, Massachusetts, has been arrested in the United States over allegations that she voted despite not being a US citizen.

US prosecutors identified the woman as Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56. She was charged with unlawfully voting as an alien and was expected to appear in federal court in Boston after her arrest.

Charging documents cited by the reports said Okafor was born in Aba, Nigeria, became a lawful permanent resident in December 2022, and had not applied for US citizenship.

Prosecutors alleged that she submitted a voter registration card in July 2022, declared under penalty of perjury that she was a US citizen and later voted in the 2022 midterm elections. They also alleged that she registered again in October 2023 and voted in the 2024 presidential primary election.

The charge carries a possible maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine. The reports said she could also face removal from the United States if convicted and sentenced.

Sources: Punch, Daily Post