Nigeria youth international Daniel Daga has been sentenced to six months in prison by a Norwegian court, a development that has sparked concern across the Nigerian football community. However, Daga’s lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, has insisted that the player maintains his innocence and will appeal the judgment.
The verdict was delivered by the Nordmøre and Romsdal District Court in Norway, which also ordered the midfielder to pay 10,000 Norwegian kroner in legal costs. Because the appeal process is expected to follow, the case is not yet legally binding. Until the legal process is concluded, Daga will be treated in accordance with Norwegian legal procedures.
Olanrewaju Daniel, assistant coach of Rivers United FC, who coached Daga during his time at Enyimba FC, exclusively told Footy-Africa that he has been in contact with the youngster and hopes the situation is resolved soon.
“I am really sad that all of this has happened to the young boy, and I have been in touch with him since the whole saga started,” Daniel said.
“He is a young and hardworking footballer who played under me at Enyimba, so it is really painful to see him going through this.”
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The coach added that the situation came as a shock given the player’s conduct during their time together:
“Daga has always been a good professional since I have known him. That is why this situation surprised me, even though he has maintained his innocence when we spoke.”
Daniel also expressed hope that the appeal process could provide clarity and allow the midfielder to rebuild his career:
“I hope he appeals the judgment and gets a favourable ruling so that he can continue with his career. It is a difficult time for him, and all we can do is support him and pray that everything turns out well.”
Daga, who represented Nigeria at the FIFA U‑20 World Cup with the Nigeria U‑20 national team, was charged last year with sexual assault without consent in Norway.
The incident was reported in April 2025 and the case was heard in March 2026 at the Nordmøre and Romsdal District Court.
