A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a South African national, Jessica Ann, to 25 years in prison for importing 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin into Nigeria.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu handed down the sentence on Thursday after Ann pleaded guilty to charges relating to conspiracy and unlawful importation of the illicit drug.
The judge said the law must be applied in accordance with the facts of the case, noting that “crime does not pay” and that the law is not influenced by emotions.
Ann was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on July 6, 2026.
According to the NDLEA, she was arrested during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways Flight QR1433 from Doha.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said operatives initially found that Ann had denied travelling with checked-in luggage.
However, officers established that two suitcases containing 14 large blocks of heroin carried baggage tags matching the claim tags attached to her passport.
Babafemi said Ann subsequently acknowledged ownership of the bags, explaining that she had forgotten she checked them in.
The agency said the defendant had travelled from Cambodia through Doha before arriving in Abuja.
She was arraigned before the Federal High Court in August on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful importation, offences punishable under Section 14 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act.
During the proceedings, Ann admitted conspiring with a South African man, identified as Jan Coenraad De Jager, in connection with the offence.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Egwuatu said Ann had also admitted committing the offence in an extra-judicial statement made to investigators.
The judge held that where a defendant enters a guilty plea that is supported by the evidence, conviction may follow from the plea.
Following the conviction, the prosecution urged the court to consider the quantity and estimated street value of the heroin when determining the sentence. It told the court that one kilogramme of heroin was worth about N18 million.
Ann was given an opportunity to plead for leniency. She expressed remorse, promised not to commit a similar offence again and said she was unaware that the bags contained illicit drugs.
The court, however, imposed a 15-year sentence on the first count and 25 years on the second count, with both sentences to run concurrently.
Ann will therefore serve a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Justice Egwuatu further ordered that the seized heroin be destroyed if the defendant does not appeal within the period allowed by law.
