UK set to deport Nigerian pastor after losing immigration tribunal battle
The British government is preparing to deport Pastor Tobi Adegboyega to Nigeria after he lost his appeal at an immigration tribunal.
The UK authorities previously shut down his church, SPAC Nation, following allegations of financial mismanagement and lack of transparency.
Investigations revealed that Adegboyega could not account for over £1.87 million of church funds. The tribunal also noted claims that the church operated as a cult, encouraging vulnerable members to donate through questionable means such as loans, benefit fraud, and even selling blood, while its leadership allegedly lived lavish lifestyles.
Adegboyega arrived in the UK on a visitor visa in 2005 and remained unlawfully. In 2019, he applied for leave to remain, citing his right to a family life under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
His legal team portrayed him as a charismatic community leader who positively impacted London’s Black communities. Despite his claims, including praise for his work by notable figures like former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, no official testimonies were provided to support his case.
The tribunal ruled that his deportation was proportionate, dismissing his arguments about the church’s community contributions and his family life in the UK. The judgment cited findings by the Charity Commission of “serious misconduct and mismanagement” within SPAC Nation and concluded that his presence in the UK did not outweigh the legal grounds for deportation.
Adegboyega argued that the allegations were politically motivated and insisted that no criminal charges had been filed over the church’s finances. However, the tribunal maintained that his family and private life relationships, established unlawfully, could continue in Nigeria.
