Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina – a former Miss South Africa finalist – has confirmed reports that she is back in the country amid a criminal investigation by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
This comes after the beauty queen revealed that she would not be attending the Nigerian pageant finale later this month after a dramatic fallout with the competition organisers.
Chidimma courted controversy last year after DHA confirmed that her Malawian mother had committed identity fraud when registering her birth in South Africa.
CHIDIMMA ADETSHINA CONFIRMS SHE’S IN CAPE TOWN
In a recent X post, Chidimma Adetshina confirmed that she had returned to South Africa. The model and mother-of-one posted a video of herself with a location tag emoji set to Cape Town.
Chidimma has reportedly fled Nigeria and her title as Miss Universe Nigeria after a rumoured fallout with pageant organisers.
The South African-born beauty has unfollowed the official pageant account and confirmed with her followers that she will not be attending the 2025 event later this month.
A year ago, the 23-year-old went from representing South Africa to Nigeria just a few weeks later. After winning the Miss Universe Nigeria title, she participated in Miss Universe in Mexico in December, where she was placed as the first runner-up.
ANCESTRY AND IDENTITY FRAUD INVESTIGATION
Chidimma Adetshina was born to a Malawian mother and a Nigerian father. Her mother was arrested earlier this year after the Department of Home Affairs discovered she was not a South African citizen and had committed identity fraud when registering her daughter’s birth.
In February, her mother, Anabela Runga, was arrested for contravening the Immigration Act and the Identification Act.
She was placed on house arrest, which has since been lifted. However, she has a strict curfew.
By default, due to her relationship with her mother, both women were stripped of their South African IDs and passports. It is likely that Chidimma has since obtained her Nigerian identity and travel documents.
HOME AFFAIRS IS MUM
Meanwhile, South Africans are questioning how Chidimma Adetshina has been allowed back in the country.
The South African has repeatedly contacted the DHA for comment. Calls, WhatsApp messages, and emails have gone unanswered.
DO YOU THINK CHIDIMMA ADETSHINA LEGALLY ENTERED SOUTH AFRICA?
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