How Nigerian actress fighting deportation wins fresh chance in UK court

By Tolulope Oke

A Nigerian woman who claims she is a “well-known model and actress” has been granted a fresh hearing in the UK after an immigration judge ruled that her asylum case was not properly analysed.

Identified only as OO, the woman is asking for protection in Britain, arguing that her “celebrity status” and involvement in the End SARS movement put her at risk if she is deported to Nigeria.

According to Daily Mail, OO told the court that she “coordinated and attended a demonstration in support of the End SARS movement in October 2020,” insisting that this makes her a target. She also claimed that the danger is heightened because she is the “daughter of a local politician.”

The Home Office had initially rejected her claim in 2023 after discovering she lied about her salary on her UK visa application. But the Upper Tribunal ruled that the first judge did not properly assess all the evidence.

A court document quoted by Daily Mail stated:

“The essence of her protection claim was that she has a well-founded fear of harm on return to Nigeria because she coordinated and attended a demonstration.”

The judge also questioned how her claimed fame was handled, noting that her description of being a “celebrity model and actress in Nigeria” was “vague and limited,” but still needed deeper assessment.

Deputy Upper Tribunal Judge David Kelly criticised the earlier ruling, saying:

“It is axiomatic that a fact-finder must not reach a conclusion before surveying all relevant evidence.”

He added that because the tribunal failed to compare OO’s claims with background information about the End SARS protests, “it is impossible to say the error was immaterial to the outcome.”

As a result, the entire decision has been set aside and the case has been sent back for a complete rehearing before a different judge.