A 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison by the Federal High Court in Abuja for smuggling 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin into Nigeria.
Apprehended on 6 July 2026 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport upon arrival from Cambodia via Doha, she was intercepted by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officers who discovered 14 blocks of the illicit substance in her luggage.
The conviction drew strong praise on Friday from ActionSA president and former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba, who is currently standing as his party’s mayoral candidate for the city’s 2026 municipal elections. Mashaba commended Nigerian authorities for taking decisive action where he claimed South Africa’s legal system had repeatedly failed.
On X, he stated: “We thank Nigeria for doing what our government and justice system fails to do with the full load of Nigerians who smuggle drugs, turn our children into zombies by feeding them drugs, and prostitute our women and girls. When will we wake up and restore law and order?”
According to NDLEA officials, Ann is connected to an international narcotics syndicate operating between Cambodia and South Africa alongside her husband, Jan Coenraad De Jager, who was subsequently detained in Johannesburg on 27 July whilst allegedly attempting to traffic 3.2 kilogrammes of illegal drugs to Hong Kong. Appearing before Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu, Ann admitted guilt to two counts of drug importation and conspiracy, receiving jail terms of 15 and 25 years respectively, which will run concurrently.