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I Had No Choice!” – Osimhen Reveals He Was Forced To Join Napoli While His Father Lay Dying
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Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has revealed that his 2020 transfer from Lille to Napoli was completed without his full consent, alleging that agents and club officials pressured him into signing the deal while his father was gravely ill.
According to a leaked testimony to Italy’s Guardia di Finanza, published by La Repubblica, Osimhen claimed he was excluded from key contract discussions and never received a draft of the agreement before it was finalized. The negotiations were reportedly driven by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis and Lille executives.
Osimhen’s €70 million transfer was one of the most high-profile deals of the 2020 summer window, but it has since become the focus of a financial investigation in Italy over alleged false accounting.
“My former agent, Jean Gerard, had shown serious interest from Napoli, but he only cared about my transfer, not my father’s condition,” Osimhen was quoted as saying by Punch.
“At that time, I wasn’t thinking about football at all. I just wanted to know how my dad was doing.”
The 25-year-old striker recounted being summoned to a meeting in Nice with Lille president Gerard Lopez and sporting director Luis Campos, where he was informed that the transfer had already been agreed upon.
“They told me I should move to Napoli because an agreement was already in place and, due to the pandemic, it was a good deal for Lille. But I knew nothing about it,” he said.
Tragically, Osimhen revealed that his father passed away during the negotiations, leaving him devastated.
“I was extremely angry with Lille and my agent because I didn’t get to see my father before he died. They even told me I had to leave for Naples the next day, without realizing he had passed,” he recounted.
Osimhen also claimed he never saw the contract before signing it.
“He asked if I had read the contract, but I hadn’t received anything,” he added.
Following the ordeal, Osimhen terminated his relationship with his then-agent and hired William D’Avila, who eventually completed the transfer alongside Napoli’s Maurizio Micheli and other officials in July 2020.
Italian prosecutors are currently investigating both clubs over suspicions that Napoli and Lille inflated the values of several youth players included in the deal to mask the true cost of the transfer.
Three players — Luigi Liguori, Claudio Manzi, and Ciro Palmieri — were officially part of the transaction but never played for Lille, further deepening concerns over the legitimacy of the deal.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has described the victory of Jide Oyekunle, a journalist with Independent Newspaper, at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice as a major victory for journalism and press freedom in Nigeria.
The union, in its reaction to the judgment awarding N10 million in damages against the Nigerian government over the violation of Oyekunle’s rights, said the ruling represents an important step towards protecting journalists and defending media freedom.
The NUJ in a statement signed by the National Secretary, Achike Chude on Wednesday commended the efforts of Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France) for providing legal support and standing with the journalist throughout the legal process.
It said the judgment serves as a reminder of the need for the protection of journalists who perform their constitutional duty of informing the public, adding that attacks and harassment against media practitioners must not go unchecked.
The union urged the Nigerian government to comply with the ECOWAS Court judgment by paying the N10 million damages awarded to Oyekunle without delay.
According to the NUJ, prompt compliance with the ruling would demonstrate respect for the rule of law and reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to upholding human rights and press freedom.
The union further called for stronger measures to guarantee the safety and independence of journalists across the country.
Signed
Comrade Achike Chude
National Secretary
President Tinubu Will Commission Roads 01 and 02 Linking Mabushi Bus Terminal and Ahmadu Bello Way Today
#FCTRenewedHope
#FCTProjectsCommissioning
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BEWARE: FG warns 26 States of flood, places, Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, Adamawa, Benue, others as critical risk areas
The Federal Government has alerted residents of 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the possibility of flooding between June 22 and July 5, 2026, following forecasts of heavy rainfall in different parts of the country.
The warning was issued by the Federal Ministry of Environment through the National Flood Early Warning Centre under its Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department.
The ministry said several communities across the country have been identified as areas that could face serious flood threats during the period.
According to the forecast released on June 22, heavy rainfall is expected in many locations, raising concerns about possible flooding in vulnerable communities.
States placed under the critical-risk category include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers.
In Abia State, the affected communities include Aba, Arochukwu and Umuahia. In Adamawa, the ministry listed Jimeta and Numan, while Eket, Oron and Uyo were named in Akwa Ibom. In Anambra, Onitsha Inland Town and Awka Urban Drainage Corridors were identified as vulnerable locations.
Bayelsa communities such as Yenagoa, Brass and Nembe Town were also listed among areas that could be affected by flooding.
Other locations mentioned include Makurdi, Gboko and Katsina-Ala in Benue State; Calabar Metropolis and Creek Town in Cross River State; Asaba, Warri and Sapele in Delta State; and Abakaliki, Afikpo and Onueke in Ebonyi State.
The ministry also identified Benin City Urban Core and Auchi in Edo State, Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State, as well as Enugu, Nsukka and Oji River Town in Enugu State.
In Imo State, Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe were listed, while Lokoja and Ajaokuta were named in Kogi State. Communities such as Ilorin, Jebba and Pategi in Kwara State were also included in the warning.
Several parts of Lagos State were equally listed among the areas at risk.
These include Agege, Alimosho, Apapa, Badagry, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki and Surulere.
In Niger State, Bida, Minna, Mokwa, Suleja and Kontagora were identified, while Abeokuta, Ota and Sagamu were listed in Ogun State.
The flood alert further covered Akure, Owo and Okitipupa in Ondo State; Oshogbo, Ile-Ife and Ilesa in Osun State; Ibadan, Ogbomoso and Oyo in Oyo State; as well as Port Harcourt Urban Core, Bonny, Ahoada and Omoku in Rivers State.
Apart from the states under the critical-risk category, the ministry also placed parts of Adamawa, the FCT, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states under a high-risk category.
Communities listed in this group include Yola North, Yola South, Mubi and Gurin in Adamawa State; Abuja Municipal, Gwagwalada, Kubwa, Nyanya and Wuse in the FCT; Birnin Kebbi and Argungu in Kebbi State; Bako in Kogi State; and Keffi, Lafia, Karu and Toto in Nasarawa State.
The warning also covered Jos and Jos North in Plateau State, as well as Jalingo, Wukari, Takum, Serti and Karim Lamido in Taraba State.
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