A Nigerian pastor, whose church was shut down due to an alleged £1.87 million fraud, has lost his appeal against deportation. Tobi Adegboyega, 44, who is a cousin of Star Wars actor John Boyega, argued that his deportation would violate his human rights. However, an immigration tribunal ruled that he should be returned to Nigeria after investigations, including those by The Telegraph, revealed financial misconduct within his church.
Mr. Adegboyega was the leader of SPAC Nation, a controversial church that was closed after failing to transparently manage over £1.87 million in finances. He claimed that his deportation would infringe upon his right to family life under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), as he is married to a British woman.
Additionally, he asserted that the Home Office did not consider his community work with SPAC. His legal team described him as a “charismatic” leader who played a significant role in his community, particularly in guiding young people from predominantly black communities in London away from trouble. He claimed that his efforts had received praise from politicians, including Boris Johnson and high-ranking members of the Metropolitan Police, although no official testimonies were submitted to the court.
Mr. Adegboyega asserted that without his presence in London, critical projects he initiated would deteriorate or shrink in size. Nevertheless, the tribunal was informed that the Home Office argued “all is not as it seems.” They pointed out that various versions of Mr. Adegboyega’s church had been shut down by either the Charity Commission or the High Court due to concerns about financial irregularities and a lack of transparency.
Allegations from former church members described SPAC Nation as a cult, suggesting that impoverished young people were pressured to contribute money in extreme ways, including taking out large loans, committing benefit fraud, or even selling their blood. Furthermore, the church leadership was accused of leading extravagant lifestyles, and there were claims of instances of abuse.
The Home Office contended that these factors should be considered when assessing Mr. Adegboyega’s perceived value to the UK. Mr. Adegboyega has lived in the UK unlawfully since overstaying a visitor’s visa that allowed him entry in 2005. In 2019, he applied for permission to remain under the ECHR’s right to family life, but a first-tier immigration tribunal initially denied his request before he appealed.
During the tribunal, he maintained that no one had faced criminal charges regarding his church’s finances and described the criticisms against him and SPAC Nation as politically motivated, claiming the allegations of it being a cult were unfounded. However, the Charity Commission concluded that there had been serious misconduct and/or mismanagement in the charity’s administration over an extended period.
The tribunal also found Mr. Adegboyega’s testimony to be “hyperbolic in many instances” and that he attempted to significantly exaggerate his influence in the community, stating it was implausible he could personally manage all of the work he claimed to do. Ultimately, the tribunal concluded: “We are not satisfied that the good work that SPAC Nation undertakes would collapse or significantly suffer should Mr. Adegboyega be required to leave the UK. We find the decision to refuse permission to remain to be wholly proportionate. Mr. Adegboyega relies on familial and private life relationships, all of which were established while 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.”
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