South African Woman Arrested With Three-Year-Old Son in Nigeria in Possession of 5.75kg Heroin

• A 38-year-old South African woman was arrested at Abuja's international airport after she was found in possession of drugs
• The woman, who was travelling with her three-year-old son, was flying from Doha in Qatar to Nigeria
• Social media users weighed in on the arrest, with some calling for a harsh prison sentence for the woman

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

ABUJA - A 38-year-old South African woman was arrested at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Nigeria, after drug enforcement agents discovered nearly six kilograms of heroin hidden in her luggage.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) confirmed the arrest through its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement released on Sunday, 12 July 2026. Agents apprehended the suspect, identified as Jessica Ann Will, on 6 July 2026 during the clearance of passengers arriving on Qatar Airways flight QR 1433 from Doha.

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Babafemi said Will initially told officers she had not checked in any luggage. Operatives quickly noticed that two bags contained claim tags matching those attached to her passport. Confronted with the evidence, she admitted the bags were hers, saying she had forgotten she checked them in. Inside the bags, agents found 14 large blocks of heroin weighing a combined 5.75 kilograms.

Will had her three-year-old son with her at the time and allegedly used her young son as a deliberate tactic to appear less suspicious and avoid thorough screening at the airport.

Will linked to drug network in Cambodia

According to NDLEA intelligence, Will is believed to be part of a transnational drug trafficking organisation. Her husband or partner, Jan Coenraad De Jager, is said to be based in Cambodia, where the couple allegedly ran a drug network operating between Cambodia and South Africa. Will told investigators she had travelled from Cambodia through Doha before arriving in Abuja.

Mzansi reacts to the arrest

Social media users weighed in on the arrest, sharing strong feelings about the case online and calling for harsh sentences.

@KingEmm55706302 said:

"So, Nigerians are not the problem here; it's actually South Africans."

@mokabah wrote:

"Please give her 25 years in prison and send the child back to SA. Find out who her boyfriend is."

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@TomHarry1878 commented:

"If she's guilty, they must throw her in the cells and throw away the keys. People don't learn. Drugs destroy lives."

@africa_yearning said:

"Very good, they must keep her in prison for the rest of her life. We are tired of drug traffickers and drug dealers."

@jmmagwaza added:

"Let this be a harsh lesson to all of us, especially sisters who allow themselves to be used by criminals."

Namibian drug mule sentenced by Gauteng court

Briefly News reported that a Namibian woman was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for being a drug mule.

The South African Police Service believed that it served as a warning for young women not to be drug mules.

The woman was sentenced to time in prison after she was found guilty of transporting drugs into the country.

Source: Briefly News