Key Points
- A Nigerian actress known only as OO says she fears harm. She claims her celebrity status raises her profile with those who might harm her.
- Her initial asylum bid was refused after visa form errors were found. An immigration judge now says her case needs a fresh hearing.
- The court noted her role in October 2020 protests and her family ties. The judge asked for a fuller review of all the facts.
A Nigerian actress and model known only as OO is asking UK courts to grant her asylum. She says she coordinated and attended an October 2020 demonstration linked to the End SARS movement.
Her written claim says her public profile and family links make her more vulnerable on return to Nigeria.
The Home Office refused her protection and human rights claim in November 2023 after finding false salary details on her visa form.
The immigration judge accepted that those errors did not mean officials had fully weighed her political activism or public profile. The judge ordered a re-hearing to ensure all evidence is judged together and fairly.
Why she says she is at risk
Her claim centres on the October 2020 protests and the risk she says followed from taking part. She told the court she is a well-known model and actress in Nigeria and that her profile would increase any threat. The judgment noted her status as a public figure and her family links to a local politician as factors that could heighten risk.
The court found problems with how the earlier hearing treated her testimony and vulnerability claims. The judge said the prior decision may have discounted her evidence without full consideration. The new order asks that the fact pattern be assessed in full, including whether she would resume public activism on return.
Her case also shows how visa paperwork errors can affect asylum claims in Britain. Officials pointed to the false salary claim as a reason to doubt her account. The judge said doubts tied to the visa form do not automatically resolve the question of future risk or persecution.
Campaigners and legal experts say cases like this test how the UK balances immigration rules and protection duties.
They note that courts must check whether public profile and political acts raise a real risk of harm. For context on recent End SARS developments and court rulings see court finds Nnamdi Kanu guilty.
The appellant will return to the tribunal for a fresh hearing where judges will weigh all evidence together. The outcome will turn on whether the tribunal finds her fear of harm well founded. For background on national End SARS commemorations and related tensions see Lekki toll gate guards stop Yemi Adamolekun’s flower tribute.
