Nigerian woman arrested in US over alleged false citizenship claim

A 56-year-old Nigerian woman, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, has been arrested in the United States for allegedly claiming to be an American citizen before voting in elections.

Okafor, who lives in Lynn, Massachusetts, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with unlawfully voting as an alien.

The US Department of Justice announced the case in a statement issued on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

According to the charging documents, Okafor was born in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria, and became a lawful permanent resident in December 2022. She is not a US citizen.

Prosecutors alleged that she registered to vote in July 2022 and signed a declaration stating, “I am a citizen of the United States. Signed under penalty of perjury.”

She was subsequently registered as a voter in Lynn and allegedly voted in the 2022 midterm elections.

Okafor submitted another voter registration form in October 2023, again indicating that she was a US citizen.

She was then accused of voting in the 2024 presidential primary election.

The Nigerian is expected to appear before a federal court in Boston following her arrest.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine.

She could also face deportation after serving any sentence imposed by the court.

Assistant US Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.