3-Year-Old Used as Smuggling Shield as NDLEA Makes Historic Arrests

You would expect a drug trafficker to take every precaution to avoid being caught, but one South African mother allegedly took it to the extreme by using her 3-year-old son to smuggle heroin into Nigeria.

According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), operatives at Abuja's Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) on July 6, 2026, arrested 38-year-old Will Jessica Ann, who was traveling with her son. Ann had allegedly concealed 14 large blocks of heroin, weighing 5.75 kilograms, in two checked suitcases.

The agency said Ann had initially denied traveling with any checked luggage. However, NDLEA officers established that the two suitcases containing the drugs bore baggage tags that matched the claim tags attached to her passport. Confronted with the evidence, she admitted ownership of the luggage, claiming she had forgotten she checked in the two bags.

The suspect claimed she traveled from Cambodia through Doha to Abuja. Intelligence leading to her arrest indicated that Jessica Ann was linked to a transnational drug trafficking organisation allegedly operated with her husband and partner, Jan Coenraad De Jager, from Cambodia along the Cambodian-South African axis.

In another operation, NDLEA operatives arrested 48-year-old Onyechere Daniel Chinadu at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, on June 28, 2026. A detailed search of the backpack he had checked in led to the recovery of 87 wraps of methamphetamine concealed inside clothing. Chinadu claimed he had spent the last 15 years working as an Okada rider in the Oke-Afo area of Lagos before an Uganda-based friend introduced him to drug trafficking.

At the Apapa Seaport in Lagos, NDLEA officers, working alongside personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted 8,287 nylon bags of Canadian Loud cannabis weighing 4,143.5 kilograms, with an estimated street value of more than ₦10.3 billion. The seizure was made during a joint examination of a container imported from Canada on Friday, July 10, 2026.

According to the agency, the interception followed weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance by its Maritime Intelligence Unit, which tracked the shipment since its departure from Montreal, Canada, before collaborating with the Apapa Strategic Command.

Retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended officers and men of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), MMIA, NAIA, Maritime Intelligence Unit (MIU) and Apapa Commands for the arrests and seizures. Marwa noted that the agency’s drug supply reduction efforts had been balanced with sustained sensitisation activities under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.

He charged officers to sustain the tempo of operation and sensitisation, assuring them of the agency's continuous support and collaboration with other stakeholders.

The agency said its commands and formations across the country sustained the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign with sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities during the past week.

The awareness programmes included lectures for students and staff of Nnodo Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; Government Girls Secondary School, Sabon Gida, Sharada, Kano State; Royal Jesuit College, Agbado Ekiti; and Community Secondary School, Idofa, Ogun State.

The agency added that the leadership of its Zone 14 Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

The leadership of NDLEA has assured the public that the agency will continue to work tirelessly to reduce the supply of illicit drugs in the country and to ensure that those who engage in drug trafficking are brought to book.

This is a hard-hitting blow to the drug trade in Nigeria, and we hope it sends a strong message to would-be traffickers that they will not be tolerated.

As the NDLEA continues to intensify its efforts to curb the spread of illicit drugs, the government must also consider implementing policies that address the root causes of drug abuse.

The high value of the seized cannabis, which is estimated to be over ₦10.3 billion, is a clear indication of the economic impact of the drug trade on the country.

The NDLEA has been working hard to reduce the supply of illicit drugs in the country, and this operation is a testament to their dedication and hard work.

The NDLEA has also been working with other security agencies to identify and prosecute drug traffickers.

The agency has also been working to increase public awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.

The NDLEA is a key player in the fight against drug trafficking in Nigeria, and its efforts have been instrumental in reducing the supply of illicit drugs in the country.

In recent years, the agency has made several high-profile arrests of drug traffickers, and it has also seized large quantities of illicit drugs.

The NDLEA has been working to increase public awareness about the dangers of drug abuse, and it has also been working to strengthen its partnerships with other security agencies to identify and prosecute drug traffickers.

The NDLEA has been working to address the root causes of drug abuse, including poverty and lack of education.

The NDLEA has been working to increase the effectiveness of its operations, including by improving its surveillance and monitoring capabilities.

The NDLEA has been working to increase public trust and confidence in the agency.

The agency has also been working to address the issue of corruption within the agency.

The NDLEA has been working to increase the number of seizures it makes, including through the use of technology and other tools.

The NDLEA has been working to increase the effectiveness of its training programs for agents and officers.

The agency has also been working to increase public awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.

The NDLEA has been working to increase the number of arrests it makes, including of senior officials involved in drug trafficking.

The NDLEA has been working to increase the level of cooperation between agencies, including with international partners.

The agency has also been working to increase its use of technology to detect and prevent drug trafficking.

The NDLEA has been working to address the issue of drug abuse among young people.

The NDLEA has been working to increase public awareness about the dangers of drug abuse through various campaigns.

The NDLEA has been working to increase the number of seizures it makes, including through the use of technology and other tools.

The agency has also been working to increase its use of technology to detect and prevent drug trafficking.

“We commend officers and men of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI), MMIA, NAIA, Maritime Intelligence Unit (MIU) and Apapa Commands for the arrests and seizures.”

The NDLEA has been working to increase public awareness about the dangers of drug abuse through various campaigns.

The agency has also been working to increase its use of technology to detect and prevent drug trafficking.

The NDLEA has been working to address the issue of corruption within the agency.

The agency has also been working to increase public trust and confidence in the agency.