A Canadian federal court has refused to review the asylum application of Nigerian pastor Lucky Bidemi Olorunfemi, citing evidence of fraud and falsified documents that supported his claim, which led to his deportation.
Justice McHaffie of the Toronto federal court delivered the ruling on October 16, upholding the Refugee Protection Division’s (RPD) finding that Olorunfemi’s submitted materials lacked credibility and appeared doctored.
Olorunfemi, who claimed to be a pastor in Akure, Ondo State, applied for refugee status in 2023, asserting that his pro-LGBTQ teachings had angered “Muslim Jihadis” in Nigeria, putting his life at risk. He alleged that his church was attacked and he was forced to hide for a year before fleeing to Canada.
To support his claims, Olorunfemi submitted four documents, including a newspaper excerpt about the attack, a letter from the Nigerian police, a medical report of his wife, and a wanted poster allegedly issued by the “Odoua Peoples Congress.”
The RPD raised serious doubts about these papers. The newspaper report was riddled with errors and mirrored Olorunfemi’s own narrative, while the police letter and medical report contained inconsistencies. The wanted poster had multiple misspellings and misidentified Olorunfemi.
Justice McHaffie noted that Olorunfemi did not provide credible evidence to counter the RPD’s concerns. He also highlighted contradictions in Olorunfemi’s testimony, such as claiming limited English proficiency while responding fluently to his own counsel.
“The application for judicial review is dismissed,” the judge ruled, affirming that Olorunfemi failed to provide consistent testimony and credible documentation to support his asylum claim.
