Niger Tornadoes FC have been directed to pay Anthony Micheal Adoyi a sum of one million and three fifty thousand naira for illegal termination of the players contract, Sports247 reports.
This is a response by the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL to the complaint letter sent to the league organizer by Anthony Micheal Adoyi whose contract was unlawful terminated by Niger Tornadoes in 15th January 2025 after investigation.
The sum covers the remaining six months salary on the players contract which is supposed to end by the end of June 2025 and some shortfall deducted from his previous salary received.
Micheal had lodged a complaint to the NPFL through his legal representative and FIFA Licensed Football Agent Mr. Eddie Iseri Ogbemudia informing the NPFL about the illegality perpetrated by Niger Tornadoes FC for not allowing his contract to run its course without recourse to the due process and provisions of the NPFL rules in case of contract terminations.
After hearing from both parties, the NPFL established that Niger Tornadoes was guilty as claimed by the player.
Subsequently, NPFL ordered the club to pay Micheal the sum of money as compensation for the unlawful dismissal or face the full weight of the laws and frame work of the NPFL in a situation like this.
This was conveyed in a letter dated 24th of January, 2025 addressed to the club chairman, sighted by our correspondent, signed by the COO, Mr. Davidson Owumi, the NPFL mandated the club to forward a written undertaken pledging to pay the sum as soon as possible.
“We request that you forward a written undertaken to us, pledging to pay the sum of one million, three hundred and fifty thousand naira (#1,350,000.00) only to the player as soon as possible, with the proviso that we are invoking the provisions of the articles 9.45.4.6 of the framework and rules of the NPFL on your club, note that your response will aid waiver on rule 9.45.4.4 previously invoked on your club”, the letter reads in part.
A check on the provisions in the stated articles shows that Niger Tornadoes risks transfer ban of players for one or two consecutive transfer periods if they fail to act accordingly or suspension of license of newly registered players .
The club’s transfer fund or funds accrue to the club from the NPFL could also be confiscated or withheld and and such funds will be used to settle the players overdue or risk outright point deduction on already accrued points.
In reacting to the NPFL intervention, Anthony Micheal Adoyi thanked the NPFL for quick intervention but asked the NPFL to be more specific by stating a deadline or time frame for the defraying of the overdue.
“I must commend the NPFL for quick intervention, this is the right way to go and the NPFL should not stop to wield the hammer on clubs who are in the habit of terminating contracts unlawfully especially through text messages and phone calls dishonorably but the NPFL should have mandated the club to pay within a specific period of time, I appealed to LMC to look at that omission and address it immediately ” Micheal stated.
Also speaking to our correspondence, the player’s legal representative Mr. Eddie Ogbemudia commended the management of the NPFL.
“If you know me very well I rarely commend people for doing their job, but this particular one I must commend the Chairman of NPFL Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye and COO Mr. Davidson Owumi for their swift intervention which was handled in a record time, which is a total departure from what we are used to.”
“Infact the manner in which Niger Tornadoes FC terminated the player’s contract is a shame to professional football all over the world and I expect the NPFL to implement immediate sanction against the club so this will stand as deterrent to other clubs” Mr. Ogbemudia concluded.
