The British government has decided to deport popular pastor Tobi Adegboyega to Nigeria after an immigration tribunal upheld a ruling against his case for remaining in the UK. Adegboyega, the founder of SPAC Nation, had previously been under investigation for the misuse of funds within his church.
The UK authorities had shut down SPAC Nation after discovering that Adegboyega failed to account for over £1.87 million in outgoing funds and lacked financial transparency. Despite his legal team’s attempts to justify his stay, the tribunal concluded that he should be deported after carefully considering the evidence presented.
Adegboyega entered the UK in 2005 on a visitor’s visa but remained unlawfully after his visa expired. In 2019, he applied for the right to stay under the European Convention on Human Rights, citing his right to a family life as he was married to a British woman. His application was initially rejected by a first-tier immigration tribunal, but Adegboyega appealed the decision.
His legal team painted him as a “charismatic” community leader who had positively impacted the lives of many young people, particularly in London’s black communities. They also argued that notable public figures, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and members of the Metropolitan Police, had praised his work. However, no testimonies from these figures were presented to the court.
The Home Office, however, disputed Adegboyega’s claims, asserting that the allegations against him and his church could not be overlooked. The tribunal considered evidence that SPAC Nation had been investigated by the Charity Commission, which found serious financial misconduct and a lack of transparency. Furthermore, former members of the church accused the organization of operating like a cult, pressuring vulnerable individuals to donate large sums of money, including through loans, benefit fraud, and even selling blood. These allegations were pivotal in the tribunal’s ruling.
At the tribunal, Adegboyega denied the cult claims, arguing that the accusations were politically motivated. He maintained that no one had been criminally charged over the church’s financial practices and insisted that his deportation would violate his human rights.
Despite these arguments, the tribunal found Adegboyega’s defense to be exaggerated and unconvincing, stating that he had inflated his influence and importance. The tribunal ultimately concluded that SPAC Nation’s positive impact would not collapse if Adegboyega were deported.
The tribunal also noted that his family and private life ties in the UK had been established while he was unlawfully in the country and that these ties would remain intact if he were to return to Nigeria. The ruling concluded that the decision to deny his application for leave to remain was proportionate and legally sound.
This decision marks the end of a prolonged legal battle for Adegboyega, whose church’s financial irregularities have led to the termination of his stay in the UK.
