The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 38-year-old South African woman, identified as Will Jessica Ann, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 5.75 kilograms of heroin into Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The arrest comes at a time of heightened anti-migration protests in South Africa, where some groups have accused foreign nationals, particularly Nigerians, of fuelling organised crime, drug trafficking and other social problems.
According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the suspect was arrested on July 6 during the clearance of passengers arriving on Qatar Airways flight QR1433 from Doha.
The agency alleged that 14 large blocks of heroin were concealed inside two suitcases belonging to the suspect. Investigators said she initially denied checking in any luggage before admitting ownership after officers matched the baggage tags to those attached to her passport.
Babafemi said the suspect claimed she travelled from Cambodia through Doha to Abuja.
The NDLEA further alleged that intelligence linked her to a transnational drug trafficking network operating between Cambodia and South Africa alongside her husband and partner, Jan Coenraad De Jager. Investigations are ongoing.
More arrests at Lagos airport
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a 48-year-old commercial motorcycle rider, Onyechere Chinadu, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after he arrived from Madagascar via Addis Ababa.
The agency said officers initially recovered 87 wraps of methamphetamine concealed inside his backpack.
According to investigators, the suspect confessed he swallowed additional drug pellets in Uganda before beginning his journey to Madagascar. After he was denied entry into the island nation, he was allegedly redirected to Lagos by his sponsor.
NDLEA placed him under observation, and by July 11 he had excreted 13 more pellets, bringing the total seizure to 100 wraps of methamphetamine weighing 1.715 kilograms.
N10.3bn cannabis shipment intercepted
At the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, NDLEA also announced the seizure of 8,287 bags of Canadian Loud, a potent synthetic cannabis strain, weighing 4,143.5 kilograms with an estimated street value exceeding N10.3 billion.
The shipment, imported from Canada, was intercepted after weeks of surveillance involving the agency’s Maritime Intelligence Unit, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
The anti-narcotics agency also said it thwarted an attempt to export 2.5 kilograms of skunk hidden inside a gas compressor destined for Cyprus through a Lagos courier company.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations and urged commands nationwide to sustain efforts against illicit drug trafficking while expanding public awareness campaigns.
South Africa’s anti-migration protests and allegations against Nigerians
The latest arrest comes against the backdrop of recurring anti-migration protests in South Africa led by groups such as Operation Dudula, which have repeatedly demanded stricter immigration enforcement and the deportation of undocumented foreign nationals.
Although the protests target migrants from several African countries, Nigerians have frequently been singled out by some protesters and politicians.
Among the allegations commonly levelled against Nigerians are:
- Claims that Nigerian criminal syndicates are responsible for drug trafficking and the distribution of narcotics in South African communities.
- Accusations that some Nigerians are involved in human trafficking, internet fraud and organised crime.
- Allegations that foreign nationals operate businesses illegally or without proper documentation, depriving South Africans of economic opportunities.
- Claims that undocumented migrants place pressure on public healthcare, housing and other government services.
- Assertions that migrants are contributing to unemployment by accepting lower wages or operating informal businesses.
However, many of these allegations have been strongly disputed by Nigerian community organisations, migration experts and human rights groups, who argue that there is no evidence linking criminal activities to any nationality as a whole. They maintain that crime should be addressed through law enforcement targeting individuals rather than entire communities.
The Nigerian government has also repeatedly condemned attacks on its citizens in South Africa, calling for offenders to be prosecuted while urging both countries to strengthen cooperation in tackling organised crime without resorting to xenophobia or collective blame.
