The British government is preparing to deport Nigerian pastor Tobi Adegboyega after an immigration tribunal ruled against his appeal to remain in the UK. The decision comes following allegations of financial misconduct linked to his church, SPAC Nation, which has faced scrutiny for years.
Adegboyega, who entered the UK on a visitor’s visa in 2005, has remained in the country unlawfully since his visa expired. Efforts to legalize his stay began in 2019 when he applied for leave to remain under the European Convention on Human Rights, citing his right to family life. His initial application was rejected, and subsequent appeals have now been dismissed.
Investigations by UK authorities revealed that SPAC Nation failed to account for over £1.87 million in expenditures, with concerns over transparency and financial mismanagement. The Charity Commission also found evidence of serious misconduct over an extended period, leading to the church’s closure.
Claims against SPAC Nation include allegations that vulnerable members were pressured into extreme measures to contribute financially, such as taking loans, committing fraud, or selling their blood. Critics also accused the leadership of living lavishly and operating like a cult.
Despite his claims that the allegations were politically motivated and that his community work had a significant impact on London’s Black youth, the tribunal found his evidence exaggerated. It stated that his deportation would not harm the church’s broader operations or violate his human rights.
The judgment 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 the church leadership lead lavish lifestyles and there have, it is said, been instances of abuse. The [Home Office’s] case before us was that all of this needs to be taken into account when evaluating whether [Mr Adegboyega] is in fact of real value to the UK.”
Speaking at the tribunal, Adegboyega said that claims that his chruch was a cult was unfounded and attacks on him and the church were politically motivated.
He also maintained no one had ever faced criminal charges over his church’s finances, adding that his deportation would breach his human rights.
However, the tribunal was told the Charity Commission concluded “there had been serious misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of the charity which was sustained over a substantial period of time.”
The tribunal also found Adegboyega’s evidence to be “hyperbolic in many instances’ and had ‘sought to grossly inflate his influence.”
The tribunal concluded, “We are not satisfied that the good work that SPAC Nation undertakes generally would collapse or even significantly suffer should the appellant be required to leave the UK.
“Weighing all of the foregoing in the balance we conclude that the decision to refuse leave to remain was wholly proportionate.
“Mr Adegboyega seeks to rely on family and private life relationships, all of which have been established whilst 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.”
