Two Nigerians Face US Charges Over Alleged Illegal Voting in Federal Elections

By Chibuzo Obidike | IchieTimes

Two Nigerians living legally in the United States are among 63 foreign nationals charged by the US Department of Justice in a fresh crackdown on alleged election-related offences.

The Nigerians, Mohammed Omar Hassan, 61, and Michael Agah, 74, are both lawful permanent residents of the US but have been accused of voting in federal elections despite not being American citizens.

Hassan was charged in Texas over allegations that he voted in the 2022 and 2024 elections.

Agah faces charges in North Carolina for allegedly voting as a non-citizen and falsely declaring himself an American citizen on an official voting form before casting a ballot on November 5, 2024.

The US Department of Justice said the wider cases involve alleged illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration and false claims of citizenship.

Attorney General Todd Blanche described the announcement as the largest surge of voter-fraud arrests since President Donald Trump returned to office.

The department also disclosed that 195 non-US citizens had been charged across 25 states with illegal voting and registration offences in the preceding nine weeks, bringing the total number charged since the beginning of the administration to 239.

The latest cases follow similar charges announced in September against three other Nigerians and 13 foreign nationals over alleged election-related offences.

However, the charges are not convictions. The US Department of Justice has stated that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.