Anthony Olubunmi George, a 61-year-old disabled Nigerian man who has lived in the United Kingdom for 38 years, is facing the possibility of being forcibly removed by the Home Office.
This development was reported by The Guardian UK.
George, who arrived in the UK in 1986 at the age of 24, has a clean record with no criminal convictions.
Despite his long-term residence, he has struggled to secure legal permission to remain in the country.
In 2019, George suffered two strokes that severely impacted his mobility and speech.
He has no immediate family remaining in Nigeria and has endured numerous episodes of homelessness over the years.
“I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on – too many to count.
I don’t have my life, living the way I’m living now.
My health problems since I had my stroke are my biggest worry.
All I’m asking for is some kindness from the Home Office,” George lamented.
George has submitted several applications for leave to remain in the UK, all of which have been denied.
The most recent rejection occurred on May 7, 2024.
His current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, attributes George’s difficulties to poor legal representation in the past.
In 2005, previous solicitors submitted a falsified entry stamp in George’s passport, an act he was unaware of until several years later and which has been reported to the police and legal regulatory bodies.
“My client has been living in limbo for 38 years, with no family, has suffered two strokes, and has no family left in Nigeria,” Kandiah said.
“His situation is not just because of Home Office policies but also because of poor representation by previous solicitors who failed to uphold professional integrity and ethical standards.”
In their latest rejection, Home Office officials stated that George’s case did not meet the criteria for exceptional circumstances.
Kandiah has since filed an appeal against this decision.
A spokesperson for the Home Office told The Guardian, “Applications have to be considered on their merits in accordance with the immigration rules with the responsibility on applicants to demonstrate they meet these rules.”
The Guardian also highlighted the case of Nelson Shardey, a 74-year-old newsagent from Merseyside, who has lived in the UK since 1977.
Shardey was recently denied indefinite leave to remain, despite having spent the majority of his adult life in the country.
