Canada Rejects Asylum for Nigerian Ex-Police Officer, Moves Toward Deportation

Canada has denied asylum to retired Nigerian police officer Wale Akinpelu and his wife, Ajarat Mojirola, citing his past service in the Nigerian Police Force, which is widely regarded for corruption and human rights violations. The decision was upheld by a federal court, clearing the way for their deportation.

Justice Norris of a federal court in Ottawa ruled on January 2 that Mr. Akinpelu was ineligible for asylum on the grounds of violating human or international rights due to his prior employment in Nigeria’s police force. The couple, who fled Nigeria in 2017, had claimed they were being targeted by a criminal gang, but Canadian authorities found their application lacking credibility.

Mrs. Akinpelu was the first to leave Nigeria, arriving in the United States in May 2017, while her husband joined her in October 2017 shortly after resigning from the Nigerian police. The couple later moved to Canada in 2018, seeking refugee protection on the basis that they feared attacks from criminal elements in Nigeria. However, court records revealed that Mr. Akinpelu admitted that his former police colleagues had “scores to settle” with him, prompting Canadian authorities to suspend his asylum request and separate the couple’s applications.

Mrs. Akinpelu’s asylum bid was initially rejected in March 2019 due to inconsistencies in her claims. She appealed the decision, and the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) granted a rehearing. However, the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) once again denied her application in February 2023, stating that she failed to credibly establish the core elements of her claim. The court found her testimony riddled with contradictions and determined that fraudulent documents had been submitted to bolster her case.

Justice Norris noted that Mrs. Akinpelu’s claims, including allegations that her father-in-law, her husband’s first wife, and his daughter had been killed in an attack, were not properly substantiated. When questioned about discrepancies, she provided vague and contradictory responses, often deferring to her husband, who had obtained the supporting documents. The RPD concluded that her testimony lacked credibility due to numerous inconsistencies and evolving narratives.

With the judicial review dismissed, Canadian authorities are set to begin the deportation process for Mrs. Akinpelu. Her husband, whose asylum case was suspended from the outset, also faces imminent removal from Canada.