A UK tribunal has ruled that Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, former leader of the embattled Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church (SPAC Nation), should be deported to Nigeria.
The ruling comes after the 44-year-old pastor’s appeal to remain in the country was rejected due to concerns about financial mismanagement within the church.
The legal battle surrounding Adegboyega, who overstayed his visitor’s visa after arriving in the UK in 2005, ended in the tribunal’s decision to expel him.
This ruling also emphasises the closure of SPAC Nation, which was shut down following investigations revealing a staggering £1.87 million in unaccounted funds.
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SPAC Nation, which once gained prominence for its work with young people, particularly in London’s Black communities, has faced serious allegations from former members.
Accusations against the church included exploiting vulnerable individuals, encouraging members to take out loans, commit fraud, and even sell blood to donate money.
Despite Adegboyega’s insistence that the church helped numerous people avoid trouble, the tribunal found evidence of long-standing misconduct and financial mismanagement.
Adegboyega argued that deportation would disrupt his family life, as he is married to a British citizen, and could undermine the various projects he claimed to have set up to support young people.
His legal team attempted to portray him as a community leader whose initiatives had garnered support from high-profile figures.
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However, no substantial evidence of such endorsements was provided to the tribunal, and the court questioned the extent of his involvement in these programs.
In its judgment, the Home Office reiterated that SPAC Nation operated with a lack of transparency, which ultimately led to its closure by the Charity Commission and the High Court.
The tribunal emphasized that Adegboyega’s private and family life in the UK had been established while he was living there unlawfully and that deportation would not destroy these relationships.
