Disabled Nigerian Man Wins Right to Remain in the UK After Nearly Four-Decade Struggle

By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News

A 63-year-old disabled Nigerian man, Anthony Olubunmi George, has finally secured the right to remain in the United Kingdom after living in the country for nearly 40 years under the constant threat of deportation.

George, who arrived in the UK in 1986 at the age of 24, has never left the country since his arrival. Despite enduring long periods of homelessness and suffering two debilitating strokes in 2019 that left him with severe speech and mobility challenges, the Home Office repeatedly rejected his applications to stay.

Years of Homelessness and Legal Battles

Akahi News gathered that George spent much of his life moving between temporary shelters, relying on friends for accommodation. “I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on, too many to count,” he told journalists, adding that he has no remaining close family members in Nigeria.

The Home Office had argued that his relatives and friends could visit him in Nigeria if he was deported, but this position was rejected by the immigration tribunal judge, who ruled in George’s favour.

Poor Legal Representation Blamed

Details from court proceedings revealed that George’s previous legal team submitted a forged passport entry stamp in 2005 without his knowledge—a move that later complicated his immigration status. The solicitor responsible has since been struck off the legal register and reported to police authorities.

George’s current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, criticised both the Home Office and the failings of previous solicitors, stating:

“My client has lived in limbo for almost four decades, suffered two strokes, and has no family left in Nigeria. This ordeal was caused not only by strict Home Office policies but also by poor legal representation that failed to uphold professional integrity and ethical standards.”

Kandiah said their repeated pleas for the Home Office to resolve the matter before it escalated to a full hearing were ignored, forcing the case to go to court.

A New Chapter Begins

Delivering his ruling, the immigration judge noted that George had even avoided medical care due to fears about his immigration status, which worsened his health condition.

With the ruling now in his favour, George expressed deep relief and gratitude: “I’m so happy I don’t know what to say. My life has just begun again. Before, I didn’t have hope, but now by God’s grace I can move forward with my life.”

Akahi News http://www.akahinews.org