A United Kingdom (UK) court has sentenced four Nigerians to different jail terms after being found guilty of forging more than 2,000 marriage certificates and other documents to assist their fellow nationals live in the UK illegally.
The four Nigerians were: Abraham Onifade, 41, Abayomi Shodipo, 38, Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54.
They were found guilty after being dragged before court by the Home Office following investigations that proved that the four individuals made fraudulent European Union (EU) Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerians between March 2019 and May 2023.
The group’s operations were uncovered by the Home Office investigation through investigations done within the UK and with its international operations based in Lagos.
From the investigation, the organised crime group provided false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent documentation to support the applications of the nationals to help them remain in the country.
Onifade and Shodipo were both found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to provide articles used in fraud following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court, the Home Office said.
Gbadamosi was convicted of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation, while Kabir was found guilty of possession of an identity document with improper intention but was cleared of obtaining leave to remain by deception.
Onifade, from Gravesend, was sentenced to six years imprisonment, and Shodipo, from Manchester, was jailed for five years at the same court on Tuesday.
Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment while Kabir, from London, was jailed for nine months.
The Home Office chief immigration officer, Paul Moran, during court proceedings, said: “This group was prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice.
“As with many gangs we encounter, 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.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who prey on vulnerable people to make money.”
