The United Kingdom government has won its legal battle to deport Nigerian pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, following allegations of fraud involving £1.87 million.
The 44-year-old pastor, who is also the cousin of Star Wars actor John Boyega, has been fighting against deportation, claiming it would violate his human rights.
Adegboyega was the leader of SPAC Nation, a controversial church that was shut down after failing to account for more than £1.87 million.
According to The Telegraph, the church was misusing funds and operating without transparency.
Despite claiming deportation would breach his right to a family life under the European Convention of Human Rights, the UK’s immigration tribunal ruled against him.
Adegboyega had argued that being forced to leave the UK would separate him from his British wife and disrupt his community work with SPAC Nation.
In his defence, he described himself as a “charismatic” leader who had helped many young people, mostly from London’s black communities, stay away from crime. He also claimed his work had received praise from politicians, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and senior Metropolitan Police officers. However, no testimonies from these figures were provided during the tribunal.
The Home Office, which had contested his deportation appeal, argued that “all is not as it seems.” It pointed out that various arms of SPAC Nation had been shut down by the Charity Commission and the High Court due to concerns about financial mismanagement and lack of transparency.
Former members of the church also accused it of being a cult, alleging that young, vulnerable people were pressured to donate large sums of money, sometimes by taking out loans, committing fraud, or even selling their own blood. The Home Office also claimed that church leaders, including Adegboyega, were living lavish lifestyles while members suffered.
Adegboyega has been living in the UK unlawfully since 2005, after overstaying his visitor’s visa. In 2019, he applied to stay under the ECHR’s right to a family life, but his application was rejected by a lower immigration tribunal. His appeal to stay in the UK was also dismissed by the tribunal, which stated that his claims about his influence were exaggerated.
The tribunal found that Adegboyega’s efforts to make himself seem indispensable to the community were “hyperbolic” and “implausible.” It also concluded that SPAC Nation’s work would not suffer significantly if he were deported.
The tribunal ruled that the decision to refuse Adegboyega’s application to remain in the UK was “proportionate” and lawful, given that his family and private life had been established while he was living in the UK unlawfully. The ruling means that Adegboyega will be deported to Nigeria.
Despite the decision, Adegboyega has denied all allegations of fraud and cult-like practices within his church.
