Canadian immigration authorities have denied the asylum applications of retired Nigerian police officer Wale Akinpelu and his wife, Ajarat Mojirola, citing his past role with the Nigerian police force, an institution known for corruption and human rights abuses, as a key obstacle.
On January 2, Justice Norris of a federal court in Ottawa, Ontario, upheld the decision to reject the couple’s refugee status claims.
The Akinpelus fled Nigeria in 2017, alleging that they were targeted by a criminal gang.
According to court documents obtained by Peoples Gazette, Mrs. Akinpelu first traveled to the U.S. in May 2017, followed by her husband in October 2017 after he resigned from his position with the Nigerian Police Service.
In 2018, the couple moved to Canada, where they applied for refugee protection, claiming fear of persecution and attacks by a criminal gang.
During the asylum process, the couple admitted that Mr. Akinpelu’s former colleagues in the Nigerian Police harbored grudges against him.
This revelation prompted Canadian immigration officials to suspend his asylum request.
His application was ultimately denied on grounds of “violating human or international rights” due to his previous employment. A judicial review upheld the decision.
The authorities separated the couple’s asylum applications, allowing Mrs. Akinpelu’s case to proceed while suspending her husband’s request.
However, the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) rejected her asylum claim in March 2019, citing inconsistencies in her statements. She appealed the decision, and the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) ordered a new hearing.
Despite the appeal, the RPD once again denied her asylum in February 2023, concluding that she was “neither a Convention refugee nor a person in need of protection,” as her claims lacked credibility.
Mrs. Akinpelu challenged this decision in court, arguing that the denial was procedurally unfair and unreasonable.
Justice Norris dismissed her challenge, noting that her case heavily relied on evidence provided by her husband, which was found to be inconsistent and unreliable.
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The RPD determined that Mrs. Akinpelu had submitted fraudulent documents to support her asylum request and that her narrative largely mirrored her husband’s, which was deemed not credible.
The RPD further noted that her testimony was inconsistent and that she failed to provide convincing evidence to support claims that her father-in-law, her husband’s first wife, and his daughter were killed in an attack.
When questioned about discrepancies, Mrs. Akinpelu offered vague explanations, attributing the inconsistencies to her husband’s handling of the evidence.
The RPD also observed that she showed little willingness to seek clarification from her husband, leading officials to conclude that further questioning would be futile.
As a result, Justice Norris dismissed her request for judicial review, paving the way for the initiation of deportation procedures.
(Peoplesgazette)
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