Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina Arrested in South Africa, Faces Deportation

​CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Former Miss Universe Nigeria and global pageant runner-up, Chidimma Adetshina, is entangled in a high-stakes legal battle after being arrested by South African immigration authorities. The 25-year-old beauty queen is currently facing deportation proceedings following allegations that she has been residing in the country illegally.

​Adetshina appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court on June 9, 2026, after being apprehended in the Summer Greens area of Cape Town. While she was released on a formal warning, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is aggressively moving forward to secure her deportation. She is scheduled to return to court on July 16, 2026.

​The Ground for Arrest: An “Illegal Foreigner” Status

​According to court affidavits filed by immigration officer Adrian Jackson, Adetshina’s whereabouts were flagged by the DHA’s central law enforcement office. Officials conducted a status determination interview and reviewed electronic residency databases to verify her eligibility to stay.

​“After the status determination interview and the DHA residency IT systems checks, it was confirmed that the applicant does not hold any lawful RSA residential status and is thus an illegal foreigner,” the affidavit stated.

​Jackson further alleged that Adetshina “wilfully and intentionally remained resident unlawfully” within the Republic, violating the country’s Immigration Act. Consequently, authorities have confiscated her travel and identification documents.

​A Timeline of the Citizenship Contretemps

​The legal crackdown follows a series of regulatory rejections and a highly publicized nationality row that began in 2024:

• ​August 2024: Adetshina withdrew as a finalist from the Miss South Africa pageant following intense public scrutiny over her heritage. A preliminary investigation by the DHA alleged that her Mozambican mother had committed identity theft to obtain South African citizenship.

• ​October – November 2024: After being stripped of her South African credentials, she accepted an invitation to compete in Miss Universe Nigeria. She won the title and went on to place as the first runner-up at the global Miss Universe pageant in Mexico.

• ​December 19, 2024: The South African government officially declared Adetshina a prohibited person, rendering her ineligible for standard visas.

• ​March 2026: Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber dismissed her application to review the department’s refusal of a “letter of good cause,” maintaining that her initial entry and subsequent paperwork relied on fraudulent documentation.

​Border Hopping and Visa Fraud Allegations

​The Ministry of Home Affairs disclosed that Adetshina allegedly obtained a Nigerian passport in late 2024 and attempted to apply for a South African visitor’s visa using a fraudulent bank statement. Following the rejection of that visa, she allegedly bypassed lawful channels by re-entering South Africa through the Lebombo border post from Mozambique while misrepresenting herself as a South African citizen.

​The legal fallout extended to her minor son. Minister Schreiber noted that the child’s immigration application was rejected because his legal status remains inextricably tied to his mother’s, leaving him with no independent legal basis to stay in South Africa.

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​Pending her next court appearance, the Cape Town Regional Court has ordered Adetshina to remain at her recorded place of arrest and to notify immigration officers of any shifts in her employment, residence, or personal movements.

​This development comes at a time of heightened immigration enforcement across South Africa, where anti-foreigner sentiment has escalated ahead of highly publicized local deadlines. For more background on how these immigration crackdowns are impacting regional migration, you can watch this report on Foreign nationals departing South Africa, which highlights the broader context of mass departures and shifting border policies affecting hundreds of residents across the country.