Seiyefa Jackson’s Parents Slam Rivers United Over Disappearance Claims

The parents of 17-year-old striker Seiyefa Jackson have publicly denied claims by Rivers United FC that their son “absconded” from the club.

In a statement on Tuesday, Peter Perebi and GodsPower Tamunogomabo, parents of the young player, said the allegations made by Rivers United were false, misleading, and damaging to their son’s reputation.

Rivers United, in an earlier statement, claimed that Jackson, who played for their Feeders team, stopped attending team activities after claiming to be sick. The club said their medical team found no signs of illness, and accused Jackson of cutting off communication and going into hiding. They also alleged that Jackson had joined Ojodu City FC, an academy team, without permission or clearance, describing the move as a breach of contract.

But Jackson’s parents have challenged these claims. Speaking on behalf of the family, they said their son was never under any valid contract with Rivers United FC. According to them, the club had no legal right to claim he had breached any agreement.

They also accused Rivers United of promoting Jackson to the senior team without parental consent, which they described as a violation of child protection laws. “Seiyefa is still a minor. Any registration or contract should have had our approval, which they never obtained,” they stated.

The parents explained that they had formally ended any relationship their son had with Rivers United. “On February 10, 2025, we wrote to Rivers United FC informing them that Seiyefa was no longer with the club,” they said. “We followed up with another letter on March 11, 2025, yet they ignored our notices.”

They further said, “The claim that our son absconded is completely untrue. Seiyefa was never legally tied to Rivers United FC. His move was a legal decision after we terminated any unauthorised registration by the club.”

The family is now demanding a public apology from Rivers United and a retraction of the statements made against their son. “Seiyefa is a young player with a bright future. We will not allow these false accusations to damage his career,” they insisted.

Meanwhile, Rivers United FC says it has reported the issue to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). The club insists Jackson left without following the proper process and has requested intervention from football authorities.

Rivers United’s Media Director, Charles Mayuku, said, “We are concerned about the growing trend of players ignoring their contractual responsibilities. We trust the NFF and NPFL will ensure the rules are respected.”

Jackson made his senior debut for Rivers United on May 26, 2024, in an NPFL match against Sporting Lagos, where he scored in the 86th minute to help his team win 4-1.

The dispute over his status continues, as both parties stand firm on their positions. Meanwhile, Jackson is currently in Italy, where he is representing Ojudu City at the 75th Viarreggio Cup tournament.