A Nigerian pastor whose church was shut down over an alleged £1.87 million fraud has lost his fight against deportation, despite arguing that it would violate his human rights, reports News360 Nigeria.
An immigration tribunal ruled that Tobi Adegboyega, 44, a cousin of Star Wars actor John Boyega, must be deported to Nigeria following investigations that exposed financial misconduct by his church.
Adegboyega was the head of SPAC Nation, a controversial church that was shut down after failing to properly account for over £1.87 million in funds and operating without transparency. He claimed deportation would breach his right to a family life under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as he is married to a British woman. He also argued that the Home Office had not considered his community work with SPAC, where he claimed to have helped many young people from London’s black communities.
His legal team described him as a “charismatic” leader who had helped hundreds of young people avoid trouble. They also stated that his work had been praised by politicians like Boris Johnson and senior police figures, though no testimony was submitted. Adegboyega argued that without him, projects he started would collapse or shrink in size.
However, the Home Office disputed this, stating that the church had been shut down by the Charity Commission and the High Court due to financial concerns and lack of transparency. The tribunal was told that former members accused the church of being a cult, where young people were allegedly encouraged to engage in extreme measures like committing fraud, taking out loans, and even selling blood to donate money.
Adegboyega has been in the UK unlawfully since overstaying his visitor’s visa in 2005. In 2019, he applied for leave to remain based on his right to family life, but his application was initially dismissed. His appeal was also rejected after the tribunal found his evidence exaggerated his influence and claimed that his church’s charitable activities would not collapse if he were deported.
The tribunal concluded that the decision to deny Adegboyega’s application was proportionate, stating that his relationships in the UK were established while he was unlawfully residing in the country and would survive his return to Nigeria.
