The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 5.75 kilograms of heroin into Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the suspect was arrested on Monday, July 6, 2026, during the clearance of passengers arriving aboard Qatar Airways Flight QR1433 from Doha. She was travelling with her three-year-old son.
NDLEA operatives said they recovered 14 large blocks of heroin concealed inside two suitcases linked to the suspect. Although she initially denied travelling with any checked luggage, investigators matched the baggage tags on the suitcases with the claim tags attached to her passport. She later admitted ownership of the bags after being confronted with the evidence.
During interrogation, the suspect told investigators she travelled from Cambodia through Doha to Abuja. NDLEA also disclosed that intelligence gathered during the investigation linked her and her husband, Jan Coenraad De Jager, to a suspected transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Cambodia–South Africa route.
The agency said investigations are ongoing to dismantle the network and bring all those involved to justice as part of its continued efforts to combat international drug trafficking.
