On Tuesday, August 27, at Woolwich Crown Court in London, the convicted individuals—Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41; Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38; Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31; and Adekunle Kabir, 54—were sentenced.

According to Sky News, the gang was a member of an organized crime network that was skilled at creating fictitious EU Settlement Scheme applications.

“This group has been rightfully brought to justice because of their blatant desire to misuse our boundaries.

“Like many of the gangs we come across, money was their only concern. Paul Moran, chief immigration officer at the Home Office, said, “I am thrilled that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs that take advantage of people’s desperation to remain in the UK.”

How the UK government dismantled a criminal organization
The fraudulent actions involved not only counterfeit Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates but also other false documents, and they took place between March 2019 and May 2023.

During the course of the Home Office’s investigation, which took place in Lagos and the UK, the group—all of whom were Nigerian nationals—facilitated the production of nearly 2,000 fictitious marriage certificates.
Both Onifade, from Gravesend, and Shodipo, from Manchester, were sentenced to six and five years in prison, respectively, for their conspiracies to furnish products used in fraud and to enable unlawful immigration into the UK.

Bolton resident Gbadamosi was given a six-year term for using fraud and deceit to seek permission to stay.

Kabir, a London resident, was sentenced to nine months in prison for unlawfully possessing an identity paper.