A UK immigration tribunal has ruled that the 44-year-old Nigerian pastor Tobi Adegboyega, should be deported to Nigeria following the closure of his church over alleged financial misconduct.
Adegboyega, founder of Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church Nation (SPAC Nation), lost his appeal against deportation despite claiming it would breach his human rights.
The pastor's church was shut down after failing to account for more than £1.87 million in expenditures.
Adegboyega, who is a cousin of Star Wars actor John Boyega, argued that deportation would violate his right to family life under the European Convention on Human Rights, citing his marriage to a British woman and his community work.
While Adegboyega's legal team portrayed him as a charismatic leader who mentored hundreds of young people, the Home Office presented a different narrative. The tribunal noted that various manifestations of Adegboyega's church had been closed down due to financial concerns and lack of transparency.
Former members accused the organization of being a cult, alleging that impoverished individuals were urged to take out loans, commit benefit fraud, and even sell their own blood to fund the church. The tribunal found Adegboyega's evidence to be "hyperbolic" and determined that he had "grossly inflated his influence".
The tribunal concluded that SPAC Nation's work would not significantly suffer if Adegboyega were to leave the UK. It also stated that his family and private life relationships, established while he was in the UK unlawfully, could continue despite his return to Nigeria.
