Former Super Eagles midfielder Garba Lawal has broken his silence on the shocking conviction of Flying Eagles captain Daniel Daga, who was handed a six-month prison sentence by a Norwegian court on March 10, 2026 — and his words are a serious warning to every young Nigerian playing abroad.
The Nigerian football community is in shock. Daniel Daga, the 19-year-old Molde FK midfielder who captained Nigeria’s Flying Eagles at two FIFA U-20 World Cups, has been convicted of committing a sexual act without consent by the Nordmøre og Romsdal District Court in Norway. The verdict came on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, and the sentence: six months in prison.
The case stems from an incident reported to Norwegian police in April 2025. Daga was formally charged under Section 297 of the Norwegian Penal Code — which covers sexual activity without consent — on December 19, 2025. The court also ordered him to pay 10,000 Norwegian kroner (approximately ₦1.45 million) in legal costs.
His lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, says Daga maintains his innocence completely. “He is very upset about the verdict. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad told Norwegian broadcaster TV 2. She confirmed the ruling is not yet final and that Daga intends to appeal. Until the appeal is decided, this verdict remains legally open.
Molde FK have already acted. The club confirmed that Daga will not be included in any matchday squad until further notice. Club chairman Tarje Nordstrand Jacobsen said: “This is a very demanding matter for all involved. Based on the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the match squad until further notice.”
Garba Lawal: “I Weep for the Young Coming Generation”
Olympic gold medallist and former Super Eagles midfielder Garba Lawal didn’t hold back when he heard the news. Speaking to FootballInNigeria.com.ng, the 1996 Atlanta Games hero said he wept when he read about Daga’s conviction.
“I read that Daniel Daga was sentenced to six months in prison or something like that. If they put you for one day or for some hours, they dent your integrity. Now, if you come out now, for example, which club in Europe wants to sign him? The same thing back home here in Nigeria — they will see you as someone who doesn’t have anything on their mind. It’s so unfortunate. I saw this this morning; I weep for the young coming generation of players. I just weep for them.”
Lawal’s concern isn’t just about Daga. It’s about a pattern he sees developing with young Nigerian players who go to Europe without fully understanding the legal landscape they’re stepping into.
“You went to their country where they have the law in their hand. Anything that the girl says, they will believe her because you are in a foreigner’s posture.”
The former midfielder also shared a personal philosophy that guided his own career in Europe. He said he was never attracted to situations that could put him in legal danger, and he believes young players today need that same discipline.
“As a young player, you need to be very careful. Women, if it’s because of women, why do you travel to Europe? You stay in Nigeria; we have beautiful women here now.”
A Career That Was Just Taking Off
That’s the part that makes this so hard to process. Daga joined Molde FK at the start of the 2025 Eliteserien season, moving from Enyimba FC. He made 15 appearances for the club and scored three goals. He was one of Nigeria’s most talked-about young midfielders, a player the football world had its eyes on.
He represented Nigeria at both the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina and the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He captained the Flying Eagles. At 19, he was supposed to have a decade of elite football ahead of him. Now his club career is effectively on hold as the Norwegian legal process runs its course.
Lawal acknowledged the slim possibility that things could still turn around through the appeal process, but he wasn’t optimistic about Daga’s reputation. “Maybe the club can fight for him, maybe they can reduce the ban, but already the integrity is spoiled. You cannot take it back.”
It’s a brutal reality check — and not just for Daga. With the Super Eagles’ upcoming four-nation tournament in Jordan in late March 2026, Nigerian coaches and administrators will be watching the welfare of their players abroad more closely than ever. If you’re backing Nigeria across that tournament, the Bet9ja YOHAIG promotion code gives you up to ₦100,000 to maximize your wagers on the Super Eagles’ international fixtures.
What Happens Next?
The appeal process in Norway could take several months. If a higher court overturns the conviction, Daga could theoretically return to football relatively quickly. If the conviction is upheld, a six-month sentence would effectively end his 2026 season entirely.
What’s certain is that this case will reshape conversations about how Nigerian football academies and the NFF prepare young players for life abroad. Going to Europe at 18 or 19 with little cultural preparation isn’t just a sporting risk. As Garba Lawal put it — it can cost you everything.
📌 Did You Know?
- Garba Lawal won the Olympic gold medal with Nigeria at the 1996 Atlanta Games and represented the Super Eagles at four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, claiming one silver and three bronze medals during that remarkable run.
- Daniel Daga joined Molde FK from Enyimba FC at the start of the 2025 Eliteserien season, making him one of the few Nigerians from the domestic league to go directly to a top Scandinavian club.
- Norway’s Section 297 of the Penal Code — under which Daga was convicted — was introduced as part of a major legal reform that shifted the definition of sexual assault from requiring proof of violence or threats to requiring proof of consent. This makes it significantly broader than laws in many other countries.
- Molde FK, the club Daga plays for, is one of Norway’s most decorated clubs and has previously produced players who moved to major European leagues. Former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer both played for and managed the club.
- The 10,000 Norwegian kroner fine imposed on Daga converts to roughly ₦1.45 million in Nigerian currency at current exchange rates — a relatively modest legal cost by European standards but significant symbolically.
- Flying Eagles (Nigeria U-20) have historically been among Africa’s strongest youth sides, winning the FIFA U-20 World Cup twice — in 1985 and 1993 — records that make captaining the team a prestigious honour.
- The Nordmøre og Romsdal District Court, which delivered Daga’s verdict, is located in Kristiansund, the same city where Molde FK’s Aker Stadium is situated — meaning the case was heard in the club’s immediate backyard.
