NIGERIAN-BORN United Kingdom-based Pastor Tobi Adegboyega has addressed recent reports of his impending deportation to Nigeria.
The former leader of Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church, which was shut down following allegations of a £1.87 million fraud, has lost his legal battle against deportation despite asserting that the move would infringe upon his human rights.
Pastor Adegboyega has been involved in a legal battle regarding his immigration status in the United Kingdom since 2022,
An immigration tribunal ruled that the 44-year-old, who is a cousin of Star Wars actor John Boyega, be deported to Nigeria.
In the court, Pastor Adegboyega’s lawyers argued that he faced a real risk of persecution in Nigeria due to his Christianity and his work as a pastor. However, the UK government maintained that he did not meet the necessary requirements for permanent residency.
Meanwhile, investigations had revealed financial misconduct within his church, leading to the decision.
The church was shut down in 2022 after failing to account for its funds and operating with a lack of transparency. Adegboyega had claimed that deporting him would breach his human rights, citing his right to family life, as he’s married to a British woman. However, the tribunal ruled that his deportation would be proportionate, given the circumstances.
Addressing the controversy via his Instagram page, Tobi Adegboyega said, “I’ve heard a lot today, and I’m doing this because our friends, our fans, people who are worried. I’m right here at home, no cause for alarm. And naturally I dismiss things that have to do with retrogression. Every Nigerian should be proud of me.
“I have survived all sorts, the matter they are propagating is the smallest of matters. No panic. I love London city, it is my city, and nobody can do anything.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media