NIGERIAN WOMAN CHARGED IN MASSACHUSETTS OVER ALLEGED ILLEGAL VOTING

A 56-year-old Nigerian woman residing in Lynn, Massachusetts, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, has been arrested in the United States over allegations that she unlawfully participated in elections despite not being a US citizen. The charges were announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts on Wednesday.

Okafor was accused of voting in the 2022 midterm elections and allegedly taking part in the 2024 presidential primary election. US authorities said she has been charged with unlawfully voting as an alien, an offence relating to non-citizens participating in elections in which they are not legally permitted to vote.

According to the authorities, Okafor was arrested on Wednesday morning and was expected to appear before a federal court in Boston later that day. The case is being handled by federal prosecutors in Massachusetts, who brought the allegations against her.

The arrest comes as US authorities continue to enforce federal laws governing eligibility to participate in elections. Voting eligibility varies according to the type of election, but non-citizens are generally prohibited from voting in federal elections, while separate rules may apply to certain local elections.

Okafor remains an accused person, and the allegations against her have yet to be determined by a court. The case will proceed through the US federal judicial system, where prosecutors will be required to establish the allegations against her in accordance with the law.