The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, to 25 years in prison for importing 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin into Nigeria.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu handed down the sentence on Thursday after Ann pleaded guilty to a two-count charge filed against her by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Ann was arrested by NDLEA operatives on July 6, 2026, during the screening of passengers arriving at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1433 from Doha.
The agency said 14 large blocks of heroin weighing 5.75kg were discovered in two checked-in bags linked to her. She initially denied travelling with checked luggage but later admitted ownership after investigators established that the baggage tags matched the claim tags attached to her passport.
Ann was subsequently arraigned on charges of conspiracy and unlawful importation of heroin. She pleaded guilty to both counts.
During sentencing, the prosecution urged the court to consider the quantity and estimated street value of the drug, while Ann pleaded for leniency, saying she was remorseful and did not know that the bags contained illicit drugs.
Justice Egwuatu sentenced her to 15 years on the first count and 25 years on the second count, with the sentences to run concurrently. She will therefore serve a maximum of 25 years in prison.
The NDLEA said Ann had travelled with her three-year-old son and that further investigation linked her to an alleged transnational drug trafficking network operating along the Cambodian-South African route. The agency also said her partner, Jan Coenraad De Jager, was arrested in Johannesburg on July 27 while allegedly attempting to traffic 3.2kg of illicit drugs to Hong Kong.
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the conviction demonstrated the judiciary’s support for the agency’s efforts to combat drug trafficking.
He said the agency would continue to strengthen airport interdiction, intelligence-led operations and international cooperation to disrupt transnational drug trafficking networks operating through Nigeria.
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