Dele Olawanle, the lawyer for Nigerian pastor Tobi Adegboyega, has refuted claims that the British government plans to deport the cleric to Nigeria. This follows reports suggesting that Adegboyega might face deportation due to an alleged £1.87m fraud linked to his church, SPAC Nation. The UK authorities had shut down SPAC Nation, citing a lack of transparency.

The Telegraph also reported that Adegboyega lost an immigration case, with a tribunal ruling in favor of his deportation. However, Olawanle dismissed these reports as unfounded and ignorant. In a post on X, Olawanle stated, “I couldn’t stop laughing when I read that Tobi Adegboyega faces deportation from the UK. The newspaper that published this news was clearly misinformed. I’ve personally represented him, and he is not facing deportation. Deportation is for criminals, and he is not one.”

He further clarified that while SPAC Nation faced scrutiny from the courts and the charity commission, Adegboyega himself had never been found guilty of any wrongdoing. Having lived in the UK for over 20 years without a criminal record, Olawanle emphasized that Adegboyega has made significant contributions to the British community. Despite the challenges he has faced, Olawanle described the pastor as a “winner.”