The Nigeria Football Federation says the suspect who stole players’ cash in Casablanca was arrested, made to return the money and sentenced to prison

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that a suspect arrested over the theft of cash belonging to Super Falcons players at their hotel in Casablanca, Morocco, has been sentenced to six months in prison.

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The Super Falcons theft occurred on the final day of the team’s training camp in Casablanca, shortly before the Nigerian women’s national team travelled to Rabat for their opening Group C fixture at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Super Falcons midfielder Esther Okoronkwo first raised the alarm on social media, revealing that she, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defender Michelle Alozie and captain Rasheedat Ajibade were among the players who had money stolen from their hotel rooms.

According to Okoronkwo, more than $1,000 was taken during the incident. The player also criticised the hotel’s management over what she described as an unsatisfactory response after the affected players reported the theft.

The incident quickly attracted wider attention after Okoronkwo was subjected to racist abuse and offensive online attacks from some Moroccan social media users following her public comments.

The NFF has now confirmed that the matter resulted in the arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for the theft.

In a statement released on Monday, the federation said the suspect confessed to the crime, returned the stolen money in full and was subsequently sentenced to six months in prison.

“Discrimination in any form has no place in football or society,” the NFF said.

“The racist abuse and emojis directed at our player make absolutely no sense, especially as the individual responsible for the theft was apprehended, made to return the stolen cash in full, and sentenced to six months in prison.”

The federation also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the welfare of the players, stressing that their safety and dignity remained central to the team’s participation in the tournament.

“The safety, dignity, and well-being of our players remain our utmost priority,” the NFF added.

The strong statement came as the NFF condemned the racist abuse directed at Okoronkwo, whose decision to speak publicly about the incident had made her the focus of a wave of online hostility.

Despite the controversy, the midfielder maintained a defiant stance, urging the online abusers to focus on the team’s performance on the pitch.

The Super Falcons have since remained focused on their campaign in Morocco, seeking to build on their status as the most successful team in the history of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Okoronkwo was among Nigeria’s standout performers during the team’s record-extending 10th continental title triumph last year.

The AFC Toronto player contributed seven assists and scored two goals during the tournament, underlining her importance to the side’s attacking play.

The latest development brings a measure of closure to an incident that threatened to overshadow the team’s preparations, while the NFF’s condemnation of the online abuse has also highlighted wider concerns about racism and discrimination in football.

For the Super Falcons, however, attention remains firmly on the competition.

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Having dealt with the disruption away from the pitch, the players are now focused on their campaign and the pursuit of another major continental success.