The British Government is set to deport popular pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, to Nigeria after losing his case against deportation at the immigration tribunal. According to source, the UK government shut down his church, SPAC Nation, after investigations revealed the ministry’ s misuse of finances. The church was reportedly closed by UK authorities after Adegboyega failed to properly account for more than £1. 87 million in outgoings and operated with a lack of openness.....Read Full Article>>
However, according to reports, an immigration panel concluded that he should be deported to Nigeria following investigations. Adegboyega has been living illegally in the UK since 2005, when he arrived on a visitor’ s visa. In 2019, the pastor sought leave to remain under the ECHR’ s right to family life. His application was first denied by a first- tier immigration tribunal before he later appealed.
Having been married to a British woman, the pastor claimed deportation would breach his right under the European Convention of Human Rights to a family life and failed to consider his community work with SPAC.
His legal team portrayed him as a ‘ charismatic’ community leader of a huge, well- organized church who had ‘ intervened in the lives of many hundreds of young people, mostly from the black communities in London, to guide them away from danger’ .
Politicians, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and top members of the Metropolitan Police had ‘ lauded’ his efforts, he claimed, but no testimony from them was presented to the court.
However, the Home Office claimed that ‘ everything is not as it looks’ and took him to an immigration tribunal.
According to the verdict, which was published by the media, the tribunal considered evidence against the Nigerian preacher.
It reads, ” Various manifestations of [Mr Adegboyega’ s] church have been closed down, by either the Charity Commission or the High Court, because of concerns over its finances and lack of transparency.
” Former members of the church have alleged that it is a cult, in which impoverished young people are encouraged to do anything they can to donate money, including taking out large loans, committing benefit fraud and even selling their own blood.
” It is alleged that church leaders live lavish lifestyles and that there have been instances of abuse. The [Home Office’ s] case before us stated that all of this must be considered when determining whether [Mr Adegboyega] is truly valuable to the UK. ”
Speaking at the tribunal, Adegboyega denied that his church was a cult, and that attacks on him and the church were politically motivated.
He also claimed that no one had ever faced criminal charges for his church’ s finances, and that his deportation would violate his human rights.
However, the tribunal was informed that the Charity Commission determined ‘ there had been serious misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of the charity which was perpetuated over a significant period of time’ .
The tribunal also found Adegboyega’ s evidence to be ” hyperbolic in many instances’ and had ‘ sought to grossly inflate his influence. ”
A lot of people have reacted to this news, someone said; ” He thinks London is like Nigeria, where people do whatever they like. Please don’ t deport him back to Nigeria. Just send him to prison” .
Another person wrote; ” This is a serious matter, especially if the wife and children will not return with him! ! ! May God come through for him in Jesus name” .