He made the remarks at a joint media briefing of defence, security and intelligence agencies organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (around 5 November 2026). Okogun specifically pushed back against what he described as a frequent claim from South African counterparts that Nigerians are the main drug traffickers. He said recent NDLEA press statements show multiple arrests of South Africans attempting to bring drugs into Nigeria, and that some appear to be facilitating movement of illicit drugs through Nigeria to other destinations.
Key details from the reports
- The NDLEA cited three South African nationals arrested in recent operations involving significant quantities of heroin, cocaine, and synthetic cannabis (“Loud” or “Thai Loud”).
- Jessica Ann Will (38): Arrested 6 July 2026 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja with 5.75 kg of heroin (14 blocks) concealed in luggage. She was said to have used her three-year-old son to try to avoid thorough screening. She was later convicted and sentenced to an effective 25 years.
- Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie: Arrested in October 2026 at Port Harcourt International Airport attempting to smuggle about 32.74 kg of synthetic cannabis concealed in luggage (reportedly flying from Thailand via Doha).
- Another case mentioned in coverage involved a South African (identified in some reports as Qhina Beauty) arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos with a large cocaine consignment.
Okogun noted that the quantities involved suggest links to international cartels, and that investigations are ongoing into destinations and organisers. The individuals are described as suspected of working on behalf of such networks rather than acting independently. Nigerian outlets (Daily Trust, Tribune, Punch, etc.) framed the comments as South Africans “leading” or taking a prominent role in certain trafficking operations through Nigeria; the Daily Maverick piece focuses more on the counter-narrative to claims about Nigerian traffickers.
This sits against longstanding mutual accusations between South Africa and Nigeria over transnational crime, including drug networks and other organised crime. The NDLEA remarks appear aimed at highlighting reciprocal flows rather than unilateral ones. Arrests of this kind at Nigerian airports are reported periodically; the public emphasis here was on the nationality pattern in recent cases and the cartel-facilitation angle.
