The convicted individuals—Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54—were part of an organized criminal group that fraudulently assisted Nigerian nationals in applying for the EU Settlement Scheme. Their illicit activities, which spanned from March 2019 to May of the previous year, involved providing fake Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other forged documents to support these applications.

The Home Office, in collaboration with its counterparts in Lagos, uncovered the extent of the operation, revealing that the group had facilitated more than 2,000 false marriage documents. The elaborate scheme was primarily motivated by financial gain, with the group exploiting vulnerable individuals desperate to remain in the UK.

Paul Moran, the Home Office's chief immigration officer, condemned the group's actions, stating, "This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice. As with many gangs we encounter, their sole priority was financial gain. I am delighted that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs who exploit people's desperation to remain in the UK."

Moran further emphasized the Home Office's ongoing commitment to securing UK borders and targeting criminal organizations that exploit immigration systems for profit.

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 articles used in fraud. They received prison sentences of six years and five years, respectively.