Nigerian Gang Members Jailed for 13 Years for Forging 2,000 Marriage Certificates to Facilitate Illegal UK Residency
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Four members of a Nigerian gang have been sentenced to a combined 13 years in prison for forging over 2,000 marriage certificates to enable illegal residency in the UK.
According to the Evening Standard, the group—comprising Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54—submitted fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals from March 2019 to May of the previous year. The Home Office reported that the gang provided fake Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other forged documents to support these applications.
An investigation by the Home Office, including operations in Lagos, Nigeria, revealed the extensive scale of the fraud. Onifade and Shodipo were convicted of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to supply articles used in fraud. Gbadamosi was found guilty of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation, while Kabir was convicted of possession of an identity document with improper intention but was acquitted of obtaining leave to remain by deception.
Onifade received a six-year prison sentence, Shodipo was sentenced to five years, Gbadamosi to 18 months, and Kabir to nine months.
Paul Moran, chief immigration officer at the Home Office, emphasized the seriousness of the gang’s actions, stating, “This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice. Their sole priority was financial gain. I am delighted that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs who exploit people’s desperation to remain in the UK.”⬤
