Former Super Eagles defender arrested in Germany, risks jail time

Ex-Nigerian international Yakubu Adamu has been arrested in Germany for allegedly setting a house in Chemnitz on fire, according to a report by Bild (via Germany-in24).

Adamu, who spent a year in the Bundesliga with St. Pauli in the early 2000s, is believed to have committed the crime after he was seen exiting the building about the time it went up in flames.

The one-cap Super Eagles defender could go to jail if convicted of arson.

Adamu played academy football for the youth team of Ranchers Bees and later Iwuanyanwu Nationale before his talent earned him a move to Germany, where he joined lower league side SG Wattenscheid 09.

St Pauli snapped him up in 2001. He spent two memorable years with the League Privateers before taking in less impressive spells at Schalke 04 II, Germania Gladbeck, Chemnitzer FC, and FSV Zwickau.

The big burly defender earned his solitary Super Eagles appearance under then-head coach Augustine Eguavoen, as Nigeria defeated Jamaica 2-0 in an international friendly match in May 2004.

He retired from active football in 2014 after another short time at Germania Gronau.

Adamu’s run-ins against the law, however, began in 2018 when he admitted to injuring his ex-girlfriend and was fined 600 euros.

Last year, the former centre-back was accused of stealing alcohol from a supermarket, but he escaped with a nine-month suspended sentence.