South African Woman Arrested for Heroin Smuggling in Abuja

On July 6, 2023, Ms. Jessica Ann Nnamdi, a 38-year-old South African woman, was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja for allegedly attempting to smuggle 5.75 kilograms of heroin into Nigeria.

She was traveling on Qatar Airways flight QR1433 from Doha to Abuja and concealed the heroin in two pieces of luggage. Initially denying ownership, she later admitted to it, claiming she forgot about the contents.

Investigations revealed that her husband, Jan Coenraad de Jager, is linked to a transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating between Cambodia and South Africa. Additionally, the NDLEA reported the arrest of Onyecher Daniel Chinadu, a 48-year-old motorcyclist, who was found with 87 wraps of methamphetamine after arriving from Madagascar.

The agency also intercepted 8,287 nylon bags of cannabis, known as Canadian loud, at Apapa seaport, valued at approximately 10.3 billion naira.