Abuja Airport: NDLEA Apprehends South African Mother in N10.3bn Drug Bust

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reported a series of significant victories against illicit drug trafficking, including the arrest of a 38-year-old South African woman at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The suspect, identified as Jessica Ann Will, was apprehended on July 6 for allegedly attempting to smuggle 5.75 kilograms of heroin into Nigeria. Investigations revealed she was travelling with her three-year-old son, a tactic authorities believe was used as a cover to avoid suspicion.

According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, Will was arrested during the clearance of passengers arriving on Qatar Airways flight QR1433 from Doha. Initially, she denied having any checked luggage. However, further inquiries uncovered two suitcases containing 14 large blocks of heroin, which bore baggage tags matching those attached to her passport. Babafemi stated on Sunday that the suspect later admitted ownership of the bags, claiming she had forgotten checking them in. Preliminary findings suggest Will travelled from Cambodia via Doha to Abuja and is suspected to be part of a transnational drug trafficking syndicate, allegedly operating with her husband or partner, Jan Coenraad De Jager, along the Cambodia-South Africa route.

In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, arrested 48-year-old Onyechere Chinadu, an Okada rider from Lagos. Chinadu was intercepted on June 28 upon his arrival from Madagascar, transiting through Addis Ababa. During interrogation, the suspect informed investigators that he had worked as a commercial motorcyclist in Lagos for 15 years before being recruited into drug trafficking by an associate based in Uganda.

At the Apapa Seaport, NDLEA operatives, collaborating with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, made a substantial discovery. They uncovered 8,287 nylon bags of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing a total of 4,143.5 kilograms. The illicit consignment, imported from Canada, was found inside a container. This seizure followed weeks of intelligence-led surveillance by the agency's Maritime Intelligence Unit, which had been tracking the shipment from Montreal until its arrival in Lagos. The street value of this seized contraband is estimated to exceed N10.3 billion.

Furthermore, the NDLEA thwarted an attempt to export 2.5 kilograms of skunk, which was ingeniously concealed inside a gas compressor. The package was destined for Cyprus and was being processed through a courier company in Lagos.

Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (retd.), the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, commended the officers for their successful operations. He praised the agency's ongoing efforts to curb the supply of illicit drugs while simultaneously intensifying public awareness campaigns against drug abuse. Marwa urged personnel across the country to maintain their steadfast commitment to the fight against drug trafficking.