Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina Challenges Deportation in South African Court
- Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court to challenge a deportation move by South Africa's Department of Home Affairs
- Adetshina was arrested in June after Home Affairs alleged she entered South Africa illegally, triggering a fresh legal battle over her immigration status
- Her legal team filed an application contesting the lawfulness of the deportation process, with an affidavit expected to detail her efforts to regularise her stay
Former Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, Chidimma Adetshina, took her immigration battle to the Cape Town Regional Court on Monday, July 20, 2026, as her legal team moved to block the Department of Home Affairs from deporting her from South Africa.
Her lawyers filed a formal application challenging the legality of the deportation process, arguing the steps taken by Home Affairs were unlawful.
Source: Instagram
Chidimma Adetshina had been arrested in June following the department's claim that she entered the country illegally, and the court appearance marks the most recent chapter in a prolonged dispute over her right to remain in South Africa.
Chidimma Adetshina's controversial journey
Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, Chidimma Adetshina initially entered public consciousness as a contestant in the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant.
She eventually withdrew from the competition after South African authorities launched an investigation into her mother's identity documents, with the Department of Home Affairs stating in August 2024 that her mother may have been involved in identity theft.
Beyond the legal scrutiny, Chidimma Adetshina was subjected to a torrent of social media abuse linked to her Nigerian roots, despite having been born in South Africa and meeting the pageant's eligibility criteria.
Following her withdrawal, she accepted an invitation to compete in Nigeria's Miss Universe qualifier, where she won the title and went on to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 global competition.
She finished as first runner-up and was named Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, cementing her status as one of the most prominent beauty queens Nigeria has produced on the international stage.
What happens next in court
The affidavit Chidimma Adetshina is expected to submit before the court is anticipated to document the steps she has taken to formalise her immigration status in South Africa.
Her legal team's challenge centres on whether the deportation process initiated by Home Affairs was conducted within the bounds of the law.
The outcome of the proceedings could have significant implications for her continued presence in the country where she was born and raised.
Source: Instagram
Chidimma Adetshina fires back at critics over deportation case
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina clapped back at critics urging her to leave South Africa amid her ongoing deportation case.
She clarified that her past remarks about not returning to South Africa were misunderstood, stressing she only meant that at that particular time.
Responding to online pressure, she told critics to stop frustrating her life and insisted she would not be forced to leave.
Source: Legit.ng
