A Nigerian Nurse, Anthonia Nwaorie, who the United States Customs seized her $41, 000 while travelling to Nigeria to start a medical clinic has gotten back her money, but insists on dragging the government to court.

Nwaorie, who works as a nurse in Texas, made her case public and caught widespread media attention, which made the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) mailed her a cheque, which she received last Friday.

She said,

“I’m glad to have my money back, but this isn’t over. I want to make sure nobody else has to go through what I’ve been through.”

Reports said the Nigerian nurse, 59, was boarding a plane in Houston last year October when she was stopped by officials.

The Imo State-born Nigerian woman had the sum of $41,377 with her and on reaching the airport, CBP confiscated the money, which she had saved to open a clinic for women and children in her state, where she grew up before relocating to the US in 1982.

According to her, she was unaware of the requirement to declare currency over $10,000 when leaving the US as well as upon arrival.

Nwaorie, who was not charged with a crime, received a letter from CBP in April informing her that it would return the money on the condition that she sign a “hold harmless” agreement promising that she would never take legal action against the government on the issue.

She reportedly refused to sign and went ahead to commence a federal class-action lawsuit earlier this month which seeks to end the practice of requiring people to waive legal rights to get their money back.

CBP has refused to comment on the pending litigation.

Speaking with Guardian on the case, Anya Bidwell, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, a not-for-profit legal group representing Nwaorie, said,

“She’s still pursuing this lawsuit because she doesn’t want the same thing that happened to her to happen to hundreds or even thousands of others in her situation who are legally entitled to the return of their property but are being forced to sign a hold harmless agreement waiving their constitutional rights.”

However, the incident has shone the light on how law enforcement agencies conduct asset forfeiture in the US.