Popular Nigerian pastor Tobi Adegboyega faces deportation from the UK following fraud accusations. Find out the details of the case.
Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, the founder of the contentious SPAC Nation church, is facing deportation from the United Kingdom after an immigration tribunal ruled against him in his case against the Home Office.
The UK government previously dissolved SPAC Nation following investigations that uncovered financial mismanagement, with Adegboyega unable to justify over £1.87 million in expenditures and operating with considerable financial ambiguity.
Since the church’s closure, Adegboyega, who entered the UK in 2005 on a visitor’s visa, has been residing unlawfully. In 2019, he sought to regularize his status by applying for leave to remain, invoking his right to family life under the European Convention of Human Rights due to his marriage to a British citizen.
However, his application was rejected by a first-tier immigration tribunal, which later upheld the decision to deport him, stating that his legal representatives failed to demonstrate that his deportation would infringe upon his human rights or adequately represent his contributions to the community through the church.
His legal team characterized him as a ‘charismatic’ leader who positively impacted many young individuals, particularly within London’s black communities, and noted that prominent figures, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, had praised his efforts, although no supporting testimonies were presented in court.
The Home Office, however, argued that the situation was not as it appeared and brought him before the tribunal, which acknowledged the evidence against Adegboyega, highlighting that various iterations of his church had been shut down due to financial concerns and a lack of transparency.
Former church members have claimed that it operates as a cult, pressuring financially struggling youth to secure funds through various means, including taking out substantial loans, engaging in benefit fraud, and even selling their blood.
Allegations suggest that church leaders live opulent lifestyles and that there have been reports of abuse.
The Home Office argued that these factors should be considered when assessing Mr. Adegboyega’s significance to the UK. During the tribunal, Adegboyega refuted the cult allegations, asserting that the criticisms against him and the church were politically driven.
He emphasized that no criminal charges had been filed regarding the church’s financial practices and argued that his deportation would violate his human rights.
Nevertheless, the tribunal noted that the Charity Commission had identified serious misconduct and mismanagement within the charity over an extended period. The tribunal also characterized Adegboyega’s testimony as exaggerated and aimed at overstating his influence.
Ultimately, the tribunal determined that the positive contributions of SPAC Nation would not be significantly impacted by Adegboyega’s departure from the UK.
After considering all evidence, the tribunal found the refusal of his application for leave to remain to be entirely justified.
Adegboyega’s claims regarding family and private life ties were deemed insufficient, as these relationships were formed while he was unlawfully in the UK and would persist upon his return to Nigeria, resulting in limited and lawful interference in the circumstances.
Peoplesmind
