Nigeria U-20 international midfielder Daniel Daga has been sentenced to six months in prison by a Norwegian court after being found guilty of committing a sexual act without consent.

 

The verdict was delivered on Tuesday by the Nordmøre og Romsdal District Court following a trial into an incident reported in 2025. According to Norwegian broadcaster TV 2, the 19-year-old midfielder was convicted of committing a sexual act against a person who did not consent.

 

In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered Daga to pay 10,000 Norwegian kroner in legal costs, which is approximately ₦1.45 million.

 

Daga’s lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, confirmed that the player will appeal the ruling, insisting that her client maintains his innocence and believes the encounter was consensual.

 

“He is very upset about the verdict. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad told TV 2.

 

The midfielder currently plays for Norwegian club Molde FK, which he joined in January 2025. Since arriving in Norway, he has made 17 appearances for the club and scored three goals.

 

Following the court ruling, Molde confirmed that the player will not be included in the club’s matchday squad while the legal process continues. The club described the situation as difficult for all parties involved and said it would respect the ongoing judicial proceedings.

 

Before moving to Europe, Daga was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest young prospects, representing the country’s U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles, and playing a key role during the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

 

However, with the appeal process now set to begin, uncertainty surrounds the midfielder’s immediate future both at Molde and in international football.