NPFL: Seiyefa Jackson parent refutes Rivers United claims

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Seiyefa Jackson’s parents has disputed Rivers United’s allegations, asserting that their son was never under contract with Rivers United FC and was not legally bound to the club.

They expressed concerns over the club’s decision to promote Jackson to the senior team without their consent.

Given that Jackson is a minor, they argue that such a move violates child protection regulations, as any registration with a club requires parental or guardian approval, which Rivers United FC failed to obtain.

The parents emphasized that they formally ended their son’s association with Rivers United FC in a letter sent on February 10, 2025, followed by a reaffirmation on March 11, 2025.

Despite these communications, they claim the club failed to acknowledge their notices and continued to make defamatory statements.

“The claim that our son absconded is completely untrue,” they stated.

“He was never contractually obligated to Rivers United FC, and his departure was a legally sanctioned decision to terminate any unauthorized registration.”

Jackson’s parents are demanding a formal retraction from Rivers United FC, urging the club to publicly acknowledge their termination notices and cease making defamatory claims.

“Seiyefa Jackson is a promising young footballer, and we will not allow his career to be tarnished by false accusations,” they stated.

“We expect Rivers United FC to act with integrity and correct this misrepresentation immediately.”

It should be noted that Rivers United earlier this week issued a press statement that the player has gone into hiding and joined Ojodu City FC without obtaining necessary clearance or permission from the Port Harcourt based side.

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side stated in the statement that they have reported the case to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).