EX-MISS UNIVERSE NIGERIA CHIDIMMA ADETSHINA RETURNS TO COURT IN SOUTH AFRICA DEPORTATION CASE

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By; Sunmola Ganiyat

Former Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, has returned to court in South Africa as legal proceedings over the government’s bid to deport her continue.

The 25-year-old beauty queen appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court on Thursday, where she filed an affidavit outlining the steps she has taken to regularise her immigration status in an effort to stop her deportation.

The court adjourned the matter until Monday to allow the South African government to file its response to her submissions.

Adetshina has been at the centre of an immigration dispute since her arrest in Cape Town in June over allegations that she was residing in South Africa without valid immigration documents.

The controversy dates back to her participation in the 2024 Miss South Africa pageant, when questions surrounding her nationality sparked widespread public debate.

She later withdrew from the competition, citing concerns for her safety and that of her family.

Following her withdrawal, Adetshina accepted an invitation from the Silverbird Group to participate in the 2024 Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, where she emerged winner.

She subsequently represented Nigeria at the Miss Universe competition, finishing as the first runner-up, the highest placement ever achieved by a Nigerian contestant.

Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father of Igbo descent and a Mozambican mother, Adetshina’s citizenship status has remained under scrutiny by South African authorities.

According to an affidavit filed by immigration officer Adrian Jackson, investigations by the Department of Home Affairs found that Adetshina and her minor son were living in South Africa without lawful residency.

Jackson said immigration officials conducted residency checks and interviewed Adetshina before concluding that she lacked valid documentation to remain in the country.

He urged the court to permit her continued detention pending deportation, arguing that her presence violates South Africa’s Immigration Act.

The current proceedings follow an earlier decision by South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, who in March rejected Adetshina’s request to review the department’s refusal to issue her a letter of good cause.

Schreiber alleged that the department had notified Adetshina in September 2024 of its intention to cancel her identity documents and those of her son but said she failed to respond.

The minister further alleged that she obtained a Nigerian passport before applying for a South African visitor’s visa using what authorities described as a fraudulent bank statement, resulting in the application’s rejection.

According to Schreiber, Adetshina was declared a prohibited person on December 19, 2024, making her ineligible to obtain a visa or any other permit to remain in South Africa.

He also alleged that she later re-entered South Africa through the Lebombo border from Mozambique while presenting herself as a South African citizen before seeking further immigration relief.

The court is expected to resume hearing the matter on Monday after the South African government files its responding affidavits.