UK-Based Nigerian Pastor Risks Deportation Over Alleged £1.87m Fraud

A Nigerian pastor based in the United Kingdom, Tobi Adegboyega, is on the verge of being sent back to Nigeria after losing his appeal against deportation, despite arguing that it would violate his human rights.

An immigration tribunal ruled that 44-year-old Adegboyega, who is a cousin of Star Wars actor, John Boyega, should be deported to Nigeria after investigations uncovered alleged £1.87 million fraud leading to the closure of his church SPAC Nation.

Adegboyega, in his petition against his deportation, claimed that the action would breach his right under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to a family life, having been married to a British woman.

He also said the attempt to remove him by the Home Office failed to take into account his community work with SPAC.

Described as a “charismatic” community leader of a large, well-organised church, his legal team claimed that he had “intervened in the lives of many hundreds of young people, predominantly from the black communities in London, to lead them away from trouble”.

He claimed his work had been “lauded” by politicians, including Boris Johnson and senior figures within the Metropolitan Police, although no testimony by them was submitted to the court.

Adegboyega contended that without his personal presence in London, projects that he had masterminded would fall apart or reduce in size.

However, the tribunal was told the Home Office contended “all is not as it seems.”

Adegboyega’s church was shut down after alleged failure to properly account for more than £1.87 million of outgoings and operating with a lack of transparency.

“Various manifestations of his church have been closed down, by either the Charity Commission or the High Court, because of concerns over its finances and lack of transparency,” the tribunal stated, noting that the church’s leadership’s flamboyant lifestyles are instances of abuse.

“Former members of the church have alleged that it is a cult, in which impoverished young people are encouraged to do anything they can to donate money, including taking out large loans, committing benefit fraud and even selling their own blood.

“He claimed his work had been lauded by politicians including Boris Johnson and senior figures within the Metropolitan Police, although no testimony by them was submitted to the court. He said that without his personal presence in London, projects that he had masterminded would fall apart or reduce in size

“It is alleged that the church leadership lead lavish lifestyles and there have, it is said, been instances of abuse. The Home Office’s case before us was that all of this needs to be taken into account when evaluating whether Mr Adegboyega is in fact of real value to the UK.

“The tribunal also found Mr Adegboyega’s evidence to be hyperbolic in many instances and had sought to grossly inflate his influence.

“We find it to be implausible that he has the time to undertake all of this work personally. We are not satisfied that the good work that SPAC Nation undertakes generally would collapse or even significantly suffer should the Appellant be required to leave the UK.

“Weighing all of the foregoing in the balance we conclude that the decision to refuse leave to remain was wholly proportionate. Mr Adegboyega seeks to rely on family and private life relationships, all of which have been established whilst he was in the UK unlawfully, and which would survive his return to Nigeria.

“The interference would therefore be limited, and lawful in all the circumstances,” the tribunal report said.

The Telegraph’s investigation also revealed that Adegboyega has lived in the UK unlawfully since overstaying on a visitor’s visa that allowed him to enter Britain in 2005.

“In 2019, he applied for leave to remain under ECHR’s right to a family life. His application was initially dismissed by a first-tier immigration tribunal before he appealed.

“In the tribunal, he maintained no one had ever faced criminal charges over his church’s finances, that many of the attacks on him and SPAC Nation were politically motivated and that claims it was a cult were unfounded.

“However, the tribunal was told the Charity Commission concluded there had been serious misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of the charity which was sustained over a substantial period of time,” the tabloid said.