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 kilograms of heroin into the country.
In August 2026, Ann pleaded guilty before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja to a two-count charge filed by the NDLEA. The charges against Ann were:
- Conspiracy to import heroin (under Section 14 of the NDLEA Act), which carries a sentence of between 15 and 25 years.
- Unlawful importation of 5.75kg of heroin (under Section 11(a) of the NDLEA Act), an offence that attracts life imprisonment upon conviction.
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How the Arrest Unfolded
On July 6, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested Ann at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja.
She arrived on Qatar Airways flight QR1433 from Doha, having travelled from Cambodia. The NDLEA officers discovered 14 large blocks of heroin weighing a total of 5.75kg. The packages were carefully concealed in two pieces of checked luggage.
Ann initially denied having any checked-in bags. However, officers matched the baggage tags on the suitcases with the claim tags attached to her passport.
When she was confronted with the evidence, she admitted ownership of the bags, claiming she had simply “forgotten” she had checked them in.
Investigators believe she deliberately used her three-year-old son, whom she was travelling with,as a cover to reduce suspicion and avoid thorough security screening.
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Ann May Have Links to a Transnational Network
According to the NDLEA, intelligence indicates that Ann is part of a transnational drug trafficking organisation operating along the Cambodia-South Africa axis.
She is alleged to have worked with her husband or partner, Jan Coenraad De Jager, a fellow South African who is based in Cambodia.
The court has now handed her a 25-year prison sentence, on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
Authorities have indicated interest in ensuring the welfare of Ann’s young son. There have been discussions around handing the child over to the South African High Commission in Nigeria.
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