Dear Luqman Onikosi is the driving force behind the Solidarity supper and many other extraordinary events. After eight years of trying, he has finally won the right to appeal against the Home Secretary’s decision to deport him to his death. Luqman was diagnosed with hepatitis B in the middle of his degree course. His brothers have died of the same disease. There is no treatment available to Luqman in Nigeria.
Luqman is claiming Leave to Remain on medical grounds. There are two strands to the case. One is a groundbreaking attempt to force the UK to recognise the people, like Luqman, facing certain death because of a pre-existing medical condition should be classed as refugees. There is legal aid for this part of the challenge. The other is a still pretty radical, though more well trodden, claim that Luqman’s health in conjunction with his extraordinary community engagement constitutes a private life which cannot be replicated in Nigeria. Moreover, there is no real public interest in violating Luqman’s right to a private life. As Luqman always says, it’s extraordinary that we are meant to believe that it is in our interest to remove him from the UK and let him die. There is no legal aid for this aspect of the claim. He needs £2500 to cover this aspect of the appeal.
