Rights groups are protesting the planned deportation of a Nigerian family residing in Quebec, Canada.

Deborah Adegboye, a member of the family, said they were at risk of being persecuted if deported to Nigeria by the North American country’s immigration office.

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Adegboye said the Canadian government planned to deport her family on April 5.

Adegboye, her husband and their first-born child came to Canada via an unofficial border crossing after allegedly facing threats to their lives from members of a cult in Nigeria in 2017.

After settling down, the couple began working within Canada’s public health system as personal support workers. During the period, they had two additional children.

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They first saw their asylum application get rejected by the immigration office over doubts about the risks they claimed they faced if deported to Nigeria in 2020.

After this, the family again applied for permanent residency, citing humanitarian and compassionate reasons, but their requests were still not granted. 

According to an affidavit sworn and submitted by Adegboye, her husband, whose name was not stated for safety reasons, belonged to a religious cult while they resided in Nigeria.

She said trouble began after her husband converted to Christianity and refused to take over as the high priest of the cult. His decision to exit the cult was rejected by fellow members and he began receiving threats from them.

Adegboye also claimed that, during the period, the cult attempted to kidnap their son.

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“Since I have the date [April 5 deportation date] for myself and my family, it’s been like they have given us a death sentence because I see no hope, no future for my children,” Adegboye said.

“It sounds so embarrassing when you enter your house coming back from work, your children looking at your face, ‘Mommy are you still crying?'”

On March 3, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) purchased the family’s tickets that would see them get flown back to Nigeria. The Adegboyes were then notified of this on March 13.

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Since the news of the Nigerian family’s deportation was made public, several rights groups have protested against the decision in Quebec and right in front of Marc Miller, the country’s immigration minister’s office.

The latest protest took place on March 29.