11 hours ago
6
A Nigerian pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, whose church was shut down over an alleged £1.87 million fraud, has lost his legal battle against deportation, despite asserting that it would violate his human rights.
The immigration tribunal ruled that Adegboyega, 44, a cousin of Star Wars actor John Boyega, should be deported to Nigeria following investigations, including one by The Telegraph, which exposed financial misconduct within his church.
Adegboyega was the leader of SPAC Nation, a controversial organisation closed down due to financial mismanagement and a lack of transparency. According to the tribunal, the church failed to account for more than £1.87 million in outgoings.
Adegboyega argued that deportation would infringe on his right to family life under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), citing his marriage to a British citizen. He also claimed the Home Office failed to consider his community work with SPAC Nation.
ALSO READ: Meta plans $10bn subsea cable project to boost connectivity
Describing him as a “charismatic” figure, his legal team argued that Adegboyega had “intervened in the lives of many hundreds of young people, predominantly from black communities in London, to lead them away from trouble.” They added that his efforts were “lauded” by figures such as Boris Johnson and senior Metropolitan Police officials, although no official testimonies from them were presented in court.
Adegboyega maintained that without his leadership, several projects he masterminded would either collapse or significantly diminish.
The Home Office contested his claims, asserting that “all is not as it seems.” The tribunal was informed that various arms of SPAC Nation had been shut down by the Charity Commission and the High Court over concerns about financial irregularities and a lack of accountability.
Former church members alleged that SPAC Nation operated like a cult, exploiting impoverished young people by encouraging them to donate through extreme measures, including taking out loans, committing benefit fraud, and even selling their blood.
“It is alleged that the church leadership led lavish lifestyles, and instances of abuse have been reported,” the Home Office stated. They argued that these factors must be considered when evaluating Adegboyega’s value to the UK.
Adegboyega, who entered the UK in 2005 on a visitor’s visa and subsequently overstayed, applied for leave to remain under the ECHR in 2019. While defending himself, he argued that no criminal charges had been filed over the church’s finances and dismissed allegations of cult-like behavior as politically motivated.
However, the tribunal cited the Charity Commission’s findings of “serious misconduct and/or mismanagement” in the charity’s administration. The tribunal also found Adegboyega’s claims of influence and accomplishments to be exaggerated, noting:
“We find it implausible that he has the time to undertake all of this work personally.”
The tribunal concluded that SPAC Nation’s work would not collapse if Adegboyega were deported. “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.”
It further stated, “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.”
