Brighton student granted right to remain after nine-year Home Office battle

Luqman Onikosi, pictured, has been fighting to stay in the country for nine years after he was first threatened with deportation in 2011.

He was granted permission to remain in September last year after winning an appeal, but in February the 40-year-old received a letter to say the Home Office was appealing against the judge’s decision “on medical grounds”.

Luqman was diagnosed with a life-threatening liver disease and hepatitis B in 2009 while he was studying at the University of Sussex.

The same disease killed his two brothers Hanuna and Kolade back in Nigeria and treatment is not available there.

Luqman said he was “completely deflated” when he received the letter.

He said: “I was exonerated when we won, but because I was not on my dying bed the Home Office said I should be deported and they appealed.

“I didn’t know how I would carry on as all my energy was gone.”

Luqman described being “in limbo” for months after coronavirus hit the UK.

His case was postponed indefinitely, which affected his mental and physical health.

But at a virtual hearing last month the judge ruled in his favour, following a landmark case in which a Zimbabwean citizen who was HIV positive won the right to remain in the UK.

Luqman said: “The Home Office conceded their argument was wrong. It was a good feeling just to hear them say that. I was relieved but cautious.”

Now he is waiting to hear what his “leave to remain” period will be.

He was told it could be up to two months before he receives his official documents.

The economics graduate is keen to return to the University of Sussex to finish his Master’s degree in global political economy.

He said: “The Home Office stopped my study in 2015. I had paid all my fees.

“The university should have duty of care for students caught up against the hostile environment."

Luqman believes Home Secretary Priti Patel should abandon the hostile environment policies which were introduced by Theresa May to reduce net migration.

He said: “She should look at the human lives which are being affected.

“These lives are usually an asset for the UK society and often highly qualified people.

“Priti Patel branded human rights lawyers like the one who helped me ‘activist lawyers’ and there has been a backlash against them. This rhetoric the government is using is dangerous.

“The UK should be a sanctuary, given its history.”

Luqman, who lives in Queen’s Park, has lectured for the Free University in Brighton and volunteers to help asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Lloyd Russell-Moyle, MP for Kemptown, has written to the university to ask that Luqman can resume his studies.

He said: “I’m very pleased leave to remain has been given to Luqman but it should have been done a long time ago.

“The so-called experts in the Home Office are wasting public money and they need to understand they can’t play with people’s lives.

“I’m sure Luqman will bring a positive contribution to our city.

“He should not be out of pocket as it was through no fault of his own that the Home Office messed this up.”

A University of Sussex spokesman said: “While we cannot comment on individual cases, we would fully support through the process any individual who applies to resume their studies at the university.

“The university can never act over and above the Government on immigration issues. We are sure this has been a long and difficult time for Mr Onikosi and that it’s a huge relief for him to have clarity on his circumstances”

The Home Office was contacted for comment.