- Nigerian pastor Tobi Adegboyega has denied reports of imminent deportation from his UK base.
- Adeboyega, who lost his UK deportation case over a £1.87 million fraud, argues that the allegations against him are baseless and should be dismissed.
- The UK Charity Commission conducted an investigation in December, revealing serious misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of the church.
A Nigerian pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, has refuted assertions regarding his imminent deportation from his residence in the United Kingdom.
Adegboyega, who recently faced a setback in his efforts to contest deportation linked to an alleged £1.87 million fraud, characterized the accusations against him as unfounded and deserving of rejection.
In December, an inquiry conducted by the UK Charity Commission revealed “serious misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration” of his church.
Reports from GistLover indicate that an immigration tribunal determined Adegboyega should be deported to Nigeria following investigations that uncovered financial misappropriation within his church.
In a recent interview with the BBC, published on Friday, the founder of SPAC Nation church dismissed the claims, attributing the fraud allegations to “disgruntled members” of his congregation.
“It is false. They have been on this thing for the past four years.
“If you have 1,000 people in a place, are you telling me 30 people will not be disgruntled? How on earth do you run an organisation without disgruntled people?” he asked.
Adegboyega further refuted claims regarding a deportation order, clarifying that the matter remains an “ongoing issue.”
He said, “There is no deportation order. Let me make that clear.”
Adegboyega emphasized that he has entrusted his fate to the judiciary, highlighting that his church has successfully removed numerous knives from the streets and has addressed gun violence in the United Kingdom.
“We believe in a practical approach to help a community – young people coming out of low social-economic background, taking them out of crime,” he said.
In response to criticisms concerning his opulent lifestyle, the preacher explained that he adorns himself in luxury items to resonate with the younger generation he aims to reach.
He said, “I put on what is right, what connects to the generation I’m speaking to, so they are not attracted to drug dealers”.
Regarding his prolonged residence in the UK, Adegboyega mentioned that he arrived in the country at the age of 25 in 2005 on a visitor’s visa but did not take steps to regularize his status.
The pastor indicated that he believed his family was managing his immigration documentation.
“I lost track of time,” he reflected, alluding to the nearly ten-year delay in seeking to regularize his immigration status.
