An immigration tribunal court in the United Kingdom(UK) has ruled that Tobi Adegboyega of Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church, popularly known as SPAC Nation and a popular friend to Nigerian singer, Davido should be deported back to Nigeria after its investigations exposed misuse of funds by his church.
TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) reports that SPAC Nation was previously shut down following a £1.87 million fraud allegation after the church failed to account for substantial outgoings.
Adegboyega, according to reports, contended that deportation, noting that it breached his right to family life under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), citing his marriage to a British citizen and his community work.
During the proceedings, the pastor’s legal team described him as a “charismatic” leader who had positively impacted hundreds of young people in London, particularly in the Black community, by steering them away from crime.
Adegboyega also argued that his absence would jeopardize the ongoing community projects he initiated. However, the Home Office raised a contrasting narrative, stressing the church’s troubled history.
“Various branches of SPAC Nation have been closed by the Charity Commission or the High Court due to concerns over finances and lack of transparency,” the judgment noted.
The tribunal was told that church leaders lived lavishly, with allegations of abuse further tarnishing its reputation. These allegations included instances of physical and emotional abuse, as well as reports of manipulation and coercion to extract money from the congregation.
Adegboyega, who entered the UK in 2005 on a visitor visa and overstayed, applied for leave to remain in 2019 under the ECHR.