A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, to concurrent prison terms after she pleaded guilty to importing 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin into Nigeria.
Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu sentenced Ann to 15 years on one count and 25 years on another on Thursday, September 17, 2026. The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning the effective prison term is 25 years.
Heroin Found at Abuja Airport
Ann was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on July 6, 2026, during the inward clearance of passengers arriving at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
According to the NDLEA, she arrived on Qatar Airways flight QR1433 from Doha. Officers found 14 large blocks of heroin weighing a combined 5.75kg concealed in two pieces of luggage.
The agency said Ann initially denied travelling with checked luggage. Officers subsequently matched the tags on the two bags containing the drugs with claim tags attached to her passport, after which she acknowledged ownership of the bags.
The NDLEA said she told investigators that she had travelled from Cambodia through Doha before arriving in Abuja.
Defendant Pleaded Guilty
Ann was later arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/422/2026.
The charges concerned the importation of 5.75kg of heroin and conspiracy to import the same quantity into Nigeria. She pleaded guilty to both counts.
Her guilty plea meant the case proceeded to sentencing after the court considered the prosecution’s submissions and the defendant’s plea for leniency.
According to court reporting by THISDAY, Ann told the court that she did not know the bags contained drugs and asked for mercy. Her lawyer also asked the court to take her circumstances into account.
Court Imposes Two Prison Terms
Justice Egwuatu sentenced Ann to 15 years’ imprisonment on the first count and 25 years on the second count.
The two sentences will run concurrently.
Although the individual sentences add up to 40 years, concurrent sentences are served at the same time. As a result, the effective term arising from the judgment is 25 years.
The court’s decision explains why initial reports described the judgment as a “40-year” sentence while other reports referred to a 25-year prison term.
NDLEA Links Case to International Investigation
The NDLEA said its investigation produced intelligence indicating that Ann was allegedly connected to a transnational drug-trafficking organisation operating along what the agency described as the Cambodian-South African axis.
The agency named Jan Coenraad De Jager as her husband or partner and said he was subsequently arrested in Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 27 while allegedly attempting to traffic 3.2kg of illicit drugs to Hong Kong.
These details were presented by the NDLEA as part of its investigation into the wider alleged network.
The agency said the case demonstrates the importance of intelligence sharing between drug-enforcement authorities in different countries.
NDLEA Says Airport Interdiction Remains a Priority
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Buba Marwa said the conviction reinforced the agency’s efforts against international drug-trafficking networks.
He said the agency would continue to strengthen airport interdiction operations, intelligence-led investigations and cooperation with international partners.
Marwa also said people of any nationality found trafficking illicit drugs through Nigeria would face prosecution under Nigerian law.
The NDLEA has increasingly focused on airports and other entry points as part of its efforts to intercept drugs entering or passing through Nigeria.
What the Case Shows
The case highlights the role of airport screening, baggage identification and intelligence-led investigations in detecting suspected international drug trafficking.
It also illustrates the importance of distinguishing between a sentence imposed on separate counts and the actual period a convicted person is required to serve when the terms run concurrently.
In this case, the court imposed 15 years and 25 years on the two counts, but ordered that both sentences run at the same time.
The Federal High Court’s judgment therefore results in an effective 25-year prison term, subject to any further legal proceedings available to the defendant.
The NDLEA said the seized heroin is to be destroyed if the defendant does not appeal within the period prescribed by law.
The case also remains significant for international law-enforcement cooperation because the Nigerian investigation has been linked by the NDLEA to alleged trafficking activity involving more than one country.
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