Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina has been arrested in Cape Town and now faces deportation from South Africa over allegations that she is living in the country illegally.

According to Sunday World, the 25-year-old appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court on June 9 after immigration officers arrested her in the Summer Greens area. The court released her on warning. She will return next month as the Department of Home Affairs continues its bid to deport her.

Citizenship dispute returns

Adetshina’s legal troubles stem from the citizenship dispute that emerged during the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant. Public debate over her nationality forced her to withdraw from the competition. She said she decided because of safety concerns for herself and her family.

The Silverbird Group later invited her to compete in Miss Universe Nigeria. She won the pageant and represented Nigeria at the Miss Universe competition. She finished as first runner-up, becoming the first Nigerian woman to achieve the feat.

Adetshina was born in Soweto to a Nigerian father of Igbo descent and a Mozambican mother. Her legal status in South Africa has remained under scrutiny.

Immigration allegations

Immigration officer Adrian Jackson said officials interviewed Adetshina and checked government records before reaching their conclusion.

“In this affidavit, I shall now motivate reasons for deeming it to be in the interest of justice to detain this person for deportation to the country of origin. ” After the above ‘status determination’ interview and the DHA residency IT systems checks,” Jackson’s affidavit reads.

He added:

“It was confirmed that the applicant does not hold any lawful RSA residential status and is thus an illegal foreigner. It is my submission that the illegal foreigner willfully and intentionally remained resident unlawfully in RSA in contravention of the Immigration Act 13 of 2022.”

Previous Home Affairs decision

The latest case follows a March decision by South African Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber. He rejected Adetshina’s request to review the department’s refusal to issue her a letter of good cause.

Schreiber alleged that Adetshina obtained a Nigerian passport before applying for a South African visitor’s visa. Authorities rejected the application after claiming she submitted a fraudulent bank statement. He also alleged that she re-entered South Africa through the Lebombo border while presenting herself as a South African citizen.

The court ordered Adetshina to remain at the address where officers arrested her. She must also inform immigration investigators of any changes to her residence, employment or movements before her next court appearance.