After securing a visa and flying to Manchester Airport, Adeyemi Opebiyi was detained for hours, then days Immigration Detention Centre (Colnbrook) , and finally hurled back to Nigeria March 24.
His visa and clearance by the UK embassy in Nigeria notwithstanding, Opebiyi, head of operation at Sebi Microfinance bank, could not draw his company’s logo well. He just flew for about 16 hours, and waited eight hour at the UK immigration desk.
According to him, after drawing the logo as best as he could, the Immigration officer told him that the drawing was not good enough and he would be denied entry into the UK on that basis and related reasons.
He claimed that he was subsequently detained for 10 days before he was finally deported to Nigeria on March 24.
He said in response to his request for the review of the decision, he got a letter from the UK Home Office, reading: “You were asked to draw Sabi Micro Finance Bank LTD’s logo: What you drew bore little resemblance to the logos found on all the official paperwork you submitted for your visa application.
“Furthermore, you were initially unable to state the correct names of the current Chairperson and Managing Director of Sabi Micro Finance Bank Ltd. This is something a Head of Operations would know. You were also unable to describe the core values and mission of Sabi Micro Finance Bank Ltd as described on its website.”
The Nigerian has gone to court to claim his right.
His suit was filed on his behalf by UK-based Nigerian lawyer, Mr Femi Aina, a Senior Consultant Solicitor with Martynsrose Solicitors, UK.
Opebiyi is demanding damages for what he termed the unlawful and humiliating treatment meted out to him by the UK Immigration officers.
The suit was filed upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum chamber) UK, with the Secretary of State for Home Department (UK) named as the sole respondent to the suit.
“The applicant showed his ID card, his MD confirmed his employment. The letter dated 9th April, 2018 and the one dated 12 August, 2020 from the CBN relates to his employment. His bank statement shows regular salary payment. All the above are relevant evidence regarding his employment. The respondent’s decision that he was not employed, or that false information was used in obtaining his visa, is wrong,” the lawyer said, refuting the Home Office accusation.
Aina said his client was unlawfully detained and deprived of his liberty for 10 days at Immigration Detention Centre (Colynbrook) from the date of his arrival, 14th March 2021 up to the date of his removal i.e. 24 March, 2021.
“The respondent has acted in a way that is incompatible with the applicant’s rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, contrary to Section 6(1) as a public authority carrying out Immigration Control.”
Opebiyi also described his trauma.
“I was humiliated and distressed about the whole matter. A week after returning to Nigeria I could not go to work as I was mentally unstable. I have never stayed in detention in my life,” he said in the court papers.
He talked about his losses: savings (£1,593.00), dignity, mental stability.
“Anytime I hear detention or see anything about the UK, I cringe.”
Colnbrook, close to Heathrow, can swallow over 400 detainees like Opebiyi sent in directly from the airport
The applicant, through his lawyer, said he was entitled to a claim of between £5,000 and £20,000, with interest.