Nigerian Who Claims She Will Die within Weeks of Deportation Wins Right to Stay in the UK

Roseline Akhalu, a Nigerian transplant patient has won the right to remain in the UK following a second successful appeal against deportation.

Community volunteer Roseline Akhalu went to study at Leeds University in 2004 but was diagnosed with kidney failure soon after she
arrived.

The 49-year-old widow had a successful transplant in 2009 but thereafter needs regular hospital checks and will have to take immuno-suppressant drugs for the rest of her life.

She argued that if she were deported to her native Nigeria she would die within weeks of her return as she would never be able to afford the immunosuppressant drugs to keep her alive.

Despite a successful appeal against deportation in November, Ms Akhalu faced further legal action after the ruling was opposed by the Home Secretary Theresa May, who argued the care of a foreign individual was the responsibility of their state of nationality.

But the High Court, Friday 26^th, July, upheld the Lower Tier Tribunal's previous decision that Ms Akhalu should be allowed to stay in the UK, stating the circumstances of the case were "exceptional".

A five-year-long campaign to keep Ms Akhalu in the UK was backed by local politicians, church leaders and Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth.

Her solicitor, Tessa Gregory, expressed delight at the ruling and called for Home Secretary to accept the decision. She said: "The facts of Rose's case are exceptional and have been rightly recognised as such. It must now be time for the Home Secretary to accept that it would be unlawful to deport Rose to a certain and lonely death in Nigeria.

Following the judgement, Ms Akhalu said: "Thank you everybody for the support, for the prayers, for the publicity, for everything. Hopefully the UK Border Agency will let matters rest at this stage."

Desperate times indeed demand desperate measures!