By Alexis Uchendu
An immigration tribunal has ordered the deportation of Tobi Adegboyega, former leader of the controversial SPAC Nation Church, to Nigeria following allegations of financial misconduct.
The ruling comes after investigations, including those by The Telegraph, uncovered over £1.87 million in unaccounted expenditures and significant transparency issues within the church’s operations.
Adegboyega, 44, contested the deportation, citing his marriage to a British citizen and his community work through SPAC Nation as grounds for remaining in the UK.
He argued that the deportation would breach his right to family life under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
The tribunal, however, upheld the Home Office’s decision, stating that “all is not as it seems.”
It pointed to the closure of multiple SPAC Nation entities by the Charity Commission and the High Court due to financial irregularities.
Adegboyega first entered the UK in 2005 on a visitor visa, which he overstayed, rendering his stay unlawful. He sought leave to remain in 2019 on family life grounds under the ECHR, but his application was dismissed.
During his appeal, Adegboyega denied criminal wrongdoing regarding the church’s finances and dismissed allegations of SPAC Nation being a cult as politically motivated.
Despite his defense, the tribunal ruled that there was insufficient evidence to overturn the deportation order.
SPAC Nation, once celebrated for its outreach to young people, has been mired in controversy, facing accusations of financial exploitation and misconduct that ultimately led to its closure.
