Four Nigerian nationals have been sentenced to prison in the UK for forging over 2,000 marriage certificates as part of a scheme to facilitate illegal immigration.
The individuals—Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade (41), Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo (38), Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi (31), and Adekunle Kabir (54)—were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court in London on Tuesday.
According to the UK Home Office, the group was part of an organized crime network that operated for more than two years, from March 2019 to May 2023. They were involved in producing fraudulent applications for the EU Settlement Scheme by providing false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other counterfeit documents to assist Nigerian nationals in unlawfully staying in the UK.
Onifade, from Gravesend in Kent, and Shodipo, from Manchester, were both convicted of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to provide fraudulent documents. Onifade was sentenced to six years in prison, while Shodipo received a five-year sentence.
Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was found guilty of deception and fraud by false representation and sentenced to six years in prison. Kabir, from London, was convicted of possessing an identity document with improper intent and received a nine-month sentence; however, he was acquitted of charges related to obtaining leave to remain by deception.
Paul Moran, Chief Immigration Officer at the Home Office, stated, “We will continue to work relentlessly to protect our borders and dismantle criminal groups exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit.”
