A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, to 40 years in prison for importing 5.75kg of heroin into Nigeria.
Drivetvnews gathered that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency disclosed this in a statement by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Thursday.
Ann was arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after 14 blocks of heroin weighing 5.75kg were discovered in her luggage.
According to the agency, the drugs were concealed in her bags, while her three-year-old son was allegedly used as a cover to avoid thorough security checks.
She was arrested on July 6, 2026, during the inward clearance of passengers aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1433 from Doha to Abuja.
The NDLEA said Ann initially denied travelling with checked luggage but later acknowledged ownership of two bags after officers established that the tags corresponded with the claim tags attached to her passport.
Babafemi said investigations indicated that Ann had travelled from Cambodia through Doha to Abuja and was allegedly linked to a transnational drug trafficking network operating between Cambodia and South Africa alongside her husband, Jan Coenraad De Jager.
De Jager was also arrested in Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 27, 2026, allegedly while attempting to traffic 3.2kg of illicit drugs to Hong Kong.
Ann was arraigned in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CR/422/2026 on two counts relating to the importation of 5.75kg of heroin and conspiracy to import the same quantity.
She pleaded guilty to both charges before Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu.
In his judgment on Thursday, Justice Egwuatu sentenced her to 15 years on the first count and 25 years on the second count, making a total of 40 years. However, the court ordered that both sentences run concurrently.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the conviction as evidence of judicial support for the agency’s efforts against drug trafficking.
Marwa said the case demonstrated that Nigeria would not provide a safe haven for international drug trafficking networks, regardless of the nationality of those involved.
He also highlighted the importance of intelligence-sharing and cooperation between the NDLEA and international law enforcement agencies in tackling transnational drug trafficking.
