Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina battles deportation in South African court

Former Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 and Miss Universe Africa & Oceania, Chidimma Adetshina, has appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court to challenge the South African Department of Home Affairs’ attempt to deport her, as a legal battle over her immigration status continues to attract attention across Africa.

The latest court hearing followed an application filed by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs, which is seeking judicial approval to continue Adetshina’s detention pending her deportation. Her legal team, however, argues that the deportation process is unlawful and has asked the court to halt the proceedings while her immigration status is fully determined.

Adetshina was arrested in June 2026 after the Department of Home Affairs alleged that she had entered South Africa without lawful immigration status after previously being declared a prohibited person. Authorities subsequently initiated deportation proceedings, while her lawyers insisted that she had been taking steps to regularise her stay in the country.

During the proceedings, Adetshina’s legal representatives argued that she is not a flight risk, describing her as a globally recognised public figure who has cooperated with immigration authorities throughout the process. They also informed the court that she is willing to surrender her South African passport if necessary and comply with any conditions the court may impose while the case is being determined.

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The defence further submitted an affidavit detailing the efforts Adetshina has made to regularise her immigration status, maintaining that she should not be detained or deported before the legal issues surrounding her residency are resolved.

The immigration dispute is the latest chapter in a controversy that first emerged during the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant.

Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, Adetshina was among the leading contestants for the Miss South Africa crown before withdrawing from the competition after questions were raised about her family’s citizenship documentation.

In August 2024, South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs announced that preliminary investigations suggested Adetshina’s mother may have been involved in identity fraud. Although the investigation focused on her mother’s documentation, the controversy triggered widespread online criticism and xenophobic attacks directed at Adetshina because of her Nigerian heritage, despite her being born in South Africa and meeting the pageant’s eligibility requirements.

Following her withdrawal from the South African competition, Adetshina accepted an invitation to contest the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 pageant, where she emerged winner and went on to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 competition.

She achieved international acclaim after finishing as first runner-up at the global pageant and was crowned Miss Universe Africa & Oceania, recording one of Nigeria’s strongest performances in the competition’s history.

Meanwhile, lawyers representing the Department of Home Affairs maintained that the agency acted within the law in declaring Adetshina a prohibited person and initiating deportation proceedings. They urged the court to uphold the department’s actions, arguing that immigration laws must be enforced consistently.

The case has also drawn legal attention following a recent ruling by the Western Cape High Court, which questioned the authority of magistrates to issue warrants authorising immigration detention. That judgment has become one of the legal issues being considered in Adetshina’s challenge against her continued detention.

After hearing arguments from both parties, the Cape Town Regional Court reserved judgment and adjourned the matter. The court is expected to deliver its ruling on August 19, 2026, a decision that could determine whether Adetshina remains in South Africa or faces deportation.

The outcome of the case is expected to have broader implications for immigration enforcement, administrative justice and the treatment of citizenship-related disputes in South Africa.

Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina battles deportation in South African court

Police arrest hospital cleaner for allegedly stealing NYSC doctor’s ₦18m car in Adamawa

The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old hospital cleaner, Mohammed Dan-Azumi, for allegedly stealing a 2016 Toyota Corolla Sport valued at about ₦18 million from a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) doctor in the state.

The suspect was apprehended in Kano State after an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the State Intelligence Department (SID), Yola, who also recovered the stolen vehicle.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the command’s spokesperson, SP Suleiman Nguroje, the incident was reported after the vehicle owner entrusted the car to Dan-Azumi for washing.

The police said the suspect, who is from Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, allegedly drove the vehicle away instead of returning it to its owner.

“The breakthrough followed a report lodged by the owner of the vehicle, who stated that he had entrusted his vehicle to Mohammed Dan-Azumi, 26, of Girei Local Government Area, for washing. The suspect allegedly absconded with the vehicle to an unknown destination,” the statement read.

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Following the complaint, detectives attached to the State Intelligence Department (SID) immediately launched a coordinated investigation, deploying intelligence-gathering techniques to track the suspect’s movements.

The operation led officers to Kano State, where Dan-Azumi was arrested and the stolen vehicle was successfully recovered.

Findings revealed that the suspect works as a cleaner at Girei Cottage Hospital, where the vehicle owner, a serving NYSC member, is undergoing his primary assignment as a medical doctor.

Police said investigations are continuing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged theft and determine whether any other persons were involved in the crime.

The suspect is expected to be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

Reacting to the successful operation, the Commissioner of Police, Adamawa State Command, CP Kabiru Hassan, commended the professionalism, dedication and swift response of the investigating team.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling all forms of crime and criminality across the state and assured residents that the police would continue to strengthen intelligence-led policing to protect lives and property.

The commissioner also appealed to members of the public to support law enforcement agencies by providing timely, credible and actionable information that could aid the prevention, detection and investigation of criminal activities.

The recovery of the vehicle adds to the command’s recent efforts to combat vehicle theft and other property-related crimes in Adamawa State.

Police arrest hospital cleaner for allegedly stealing NYSC doctor’s ₦18m car in Adamawa

Sowore condemns seven-year jail term for Kano man over cannabis advert

The 2027 African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has strongly criticised the seven-year prison sentence imposed on a Kano resident for advertising cannabis for sale on social media, describing the judgment as “jungle justice” and calling for an urgent review of the case.

Sowore urged the immediate suspension of the judgment pending an appeal and appealed to the Kano State Government to initiate a judicial review, arguing that the punishment was excessive for what he described as a non-violent offence.

The former presidential candidate made his position known in a statement posted on his verified X account, where he questioned what he called the disproportionate application of justice in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

“I strongly condemn what I consider to be jungle justice against this young man, Ashiru Idris, for merely advertising the sale of cannabis,” Sowore said.

The controversy followed the conviction of Ashiru Idris, a 28-year-old Kano resident who was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine after being found guilty of advertising cannabis sativa for sale on social media.

The conviction was secured by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which said Idris was arrested on April 22, 2026, after a video allegedly showing him advertising cannabis for sale circulated online.

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According to the anti-narcotics agency, the prosecution forms part of its ongoing efforts to discourage the use of social media and other digital platforms to promote or market illicit drugs.

The agency described the judgment as a strong warning to individuals who advertise prohibited substances online, stressing that Nigeria’s drug laws prohibit the cultivation, possession, sale, trafficking and promotion of cannabis and other illicit drugs.

Reacting to the judgment, Sowore argued that the case highlights the urgent need to reform Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

According to him, courts sometimes impose harsher punishments for non-violent offences than for more serious crimes such as violent attacks, corruption and kidnapping.

“This is why I have consistently argued that Nigeria’s justice system requires urgent reform. Too often, our courts appear to react more harshly to non-violent offences than to serious crimes,” he stated.

Sowore said such sentencing patterns raise important questions about fairness, proportionality and the priorities of Nigeria’s justice system.

He further argued that cannabis is no longer treated solely as an illicit substance in many countries, noting that several jurisdictions now regulate its cultivation and use for medical, industrial or commercial purposes under strict legal frameworks.

While acknowledging that every country has the authority to enforce its own laws, he maintained that sentencing someone to seven years in prison without the option of a fine for advertising cannabis deserved broader public debate.

The activist therefore called for the immediate suspension of the judgment against Idris pending the determination of an appeal, while urging the Kano State Government to conduct a comprehensive judicial review of the case.

Despite Sowore’s criticism, Nigeria’s existing drug laws continue to classify cannabis as an illegal substance. Under the provisions of the NDLEA Act and other relevant legislation, offences involving the cultivation, possession, trafficking, sale or promotion of cannabis remain punishable by law.

Legal analysts say the case has reignited public debate over whether Nigeria’s sentencing framework adequately balances deterrence with proportionality, particularly in cases involving non-violent drug-related offences.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official confirmation that Idris had filed an appeal against the judgment, while the NDLEA has continued to defend the conviction as part of its broader campaign against drug abuse and trafficking.

Sowore condemns seven-year jail term for Kano man over cannabis advert