The Federal High Court in Kano has ordered the forfeiture of $1.1million (over N1.7billion) cash seized from a lady, Hauwa Abdullahi Ibrahim, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Also forfeited were 135,900 Saudi Arabian Riyals found with her.

Justice S.M. Shuaibu made the order after Ms. Ibrahim pleaded guilty to money laundering.

She was arrested by EFCC operatives at the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport yesterday with the cash.

A two-count charge, numbered FHC/KN/CR/46/2025, was filed against her soon after.

The EFCC charged Ms. Ibrahim with money laundering to the tune of $1,154,900 in count 1 and SRS135,900 in count 2.

She was charged under Section 3(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 3(5) of the same Act.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the two counts and pleaded for leniency in mitigation of the sentence.

Justice Shuaibu ordered: “That the defendant is hereby sentenced in line with the provisions of Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 as follows:

“a) That the sum of $1,154,900 being the subject matter of Count 1 of the charge is hereby forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria

“b) That the sum of SRS135,900, the subject matter of Count 2 of the Charge is hereby forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“That this is the punishment imposed by the court in this case.”

The convict claimed she was approached by one Nafiu in Saudi Arabia who solicited her assistance to carry along a box to Nigeria.

When she enquired about the content, he told her it was dates and a small amount of cash.

She said Nafiu gave her the phone number of a woman who would collect the box from her upon arrival in Kano.

After leaving the airport, she was recalled by the airport authorities to clear the box.

Upon arrival, she was arrested and was shown the contents of the box.

She pleaded for mercy, claiming she did not know that such a huge sum was in the box.