UK court shuts down church run by flamboyant Nigerian pastor over financial irregularities

A UK High Court has ordered the closure of the Salvation Proclaimer Ministries Limited, also known as SPAC Nation, which is managed by Tobi Adegboyega, a Nigerian-born preacher whose lifestyle has raised questions.

The court, presided over by Judge Burton, issued the order on June 9, 2022, with the Official Receiver appointed as liquidator, according to a statement on the UK government’s website on Friday.

After failing to properly account for more than £1.87 million in outgoings and operating with a lack of openness, the London-based church group was shut down.

SPAC Nation was founded in 2012 as a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of Christianity, according to the court.

The majority of its charitable activities took place in London, with a focus on vulnerable individuals, youth, and offenders.

The church group first received great feedback and media attention.

However, by late 2019, SPAC Nation had come under fire from the media when former church members claimed they had been financially exploited by senior church officials.

Read also:UK govt recognizes Nigeria’s classification of IPOB as terrorist group

After receiving complaints about SPAC Nation, the UK’s Insolvency Service launched its own confidential investigation into the church group’s activities.

The statement released by UK government partly reads, “Investigators interviewed one of the company’s directors, Adedapo Olugbenga Adegboyega, who was also known as Dapo Adegboyega or Pastor Dapo.

“During interviews, Mr Adegboyega said that the church group had over 2,000 members and 200 ordained ministers and pastors but failed to provide any supporting information.

“Further enquiries found that SPAC Nation either failed to comply or only partially complied with statutory requirements, including providing data to support claimed donations, and accounting records in support of £1.87 million of expenditure.”

According to the statement, the company’s financial statements for the two years to December 31, 2019, set out £610,000 of rent expenditure.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now