South African Woman Gets 40 Years in Nigeria for Heroin Import

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, to a total of 40 years in prison for importing 5.75 kilograms of heroin into Nigeria. The sentence was handed down on Thursday, September 17, 2026, by Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu. Ann was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on July 6, 2026. The agency reported that 14 large blocks of heroin, weighing 5.75kg, were found concealed in two checked-in bags she was traveling with. According to the NDLEA, she arrived on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha, having traveled from Cambodia. The NDLEA stated that Ann initially denied traveling with checked luggage but later admitted ownership after officers matched the bag tags to her passport. She reportedly told investigators she had forgotten she checked in the bags. The agency also noted she was traveling with her three-year-old son. Ann was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy to import and importation of heroin. She pleaded guilty to both counts.