BY: Michael Imianvian
Deputy Echeta, exciting and fun to watch, arrived at Rivers Utd from Bendel Insurance on the 3rd of August 2023 on a two-year deal.
For Deputy, it was an upgrade on his previous club, the Benin Arsenal, as the Pride of Rivers offered a chance at continental glory in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The season would end with Deputy scoring five goals and two assists but there was a blemish in his debut campaign which could have seen him provide more numbers in the final third.
Management issues began for Deputy on 21st November, 2023 after he was suspended indefinitely by the club for requesting for salary after a delay.
The suspension however didn’t last for a week as Deputy was made to apologize and the issues were swept under the carpet.
Abia Warriors Vs Rivers United: Deputy’s Descent To Chaos At Rivers United.
Like the dead body buried in the middle of the night with its leg hanging outside, more woes were recorded.
Deputy Echeta in in an exclusive interview with MikeThePundit revealed his ordeals with the club’s management in the match versus Abia Warriors in Umuahia.
The excerpts of the chat are below;
On May 15, 2024, during a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match against Abia Warriors FC, Rivers United FC, I, Deputy Echeta, was substituted during the game. Following my substitution, I was approached by our club secretary, Ahmed Abdurrahman.
Ahmed Abdurrahman directed uncomplimentaryremarks about my performance, which quickly escalated into a physical confrontation. Despite my attempts to de-escalate the situation, Abdurrahman slapped me, causing pain and the following day I started experiencing bleeding, even after the match he went on to grab my shirt in the dressing room before several team mates and officials held him. The incident was witnessed by several team members and staff present at the sidelines and in the dressing room.
After the match, Iexperienced severe pain in my right ear, prompting immediate medical attention to assess the damage caused by the assault. The initial
examination confirmed that the physical assault resulted in significant injury, and further medical tests were conducted.
The assault by Ahmed Abdurrahman represents a grave breach of my contract with Rivers United FC and has created an unsafe and hostile environment for
me within the club.
Deputy Echeta: In His Own Words
“It was not enough for him. He was sitting far from us and came to where I was because he had something in mind. He said the goal they scored was my fault because I lost the ball as I didn’t mark.
I said, Sir, how is the goal my fault?
He didn’t even allow me to finish what I was saying. The next thing I heard was a slap on my face while on the bench, in a live game, an official match. I said you slapped me. He said, who are you? After changing words and words and words and words on the bench. I told him that I would not play again for the club. This is the end of it.
Then inside the dressing room, he came again grabbing me on my shirt. Do I want to beat him? I said I cannot beat you. I cannot but I will not play again for this club. So I don’t know why he’s denying it now. He was the one that was attacking me, wanted to beat me, wanted to kill me.
Now I have filed my case. I met with the commissioner, I met with the GM. I told him I didn’t want to play again for this club. Let’s terminate my contract mutually. Let me leave.
Allegations, Denials And Counter-Denials
“I am not going to sue for anything, but they refused, and my lawyer was able to send them a letter from FIFA.
They replied in their official letter that everything was an allegation, that, it was a lie and that they didn’t slap me, that my lawyer asked me to say much so that I could take my papers and sign for a team in Tunisia.
Meanwhile, these people sent me a resumption letter. I said, why are you sending me a resumption letter? And inside the resumption letter, they said, I should resume training immediately, that the medical team had passed me fit, and that they recall I had an altercation with the club secretary. It was in the letter they sent to me. Maybe they forgot, that they are investigating the matter and they would take appropriate measures.
“I collected it, I signed an original copy collected by me. I snapped it, I sent it to my lawyer, I sent it out immediately. Again, now they wrote a letter rejecting it, denying it that the man did not slap me”.
And meanwhile, I have to leave the club for them. I left, traveled, I carried my bags, everything, I left the club. I told them that I was not going to play again. It’s as simple as that.
No New Club For Deputy
If they are paranoid that I left the club and signed a contract with another club, they should bring it to the court. Let’s go to the court of arbitration and discuss it there. If they win me, I return to their club. If I win, which I know I will win. I will win, they will pay me off because I will sue them.
“They’ve damaged my name on the internet that they did not slap me. So I’m waiting for them. This is going to be resolved in the court, not in the police station. You understand? So this is all that has been happening. You remember when these things happened, I told you to let us make people know. But you said I should just calm down. I know these people.
Deputy Echeta and Rivers United: Love At First Sight Turned Sour
I played Bendel Insurance before I went to this club. Bendel Insurance was never like this. The majority of the things I faced today at Rivers Utd, I never faced it at Bendel Insurance but I decided to leave not because they offended me or they were not good to me but because I needed to move higher in my career. That is why I left Bendel Insurance. I went to Rivers Utd, which Rivers Utd has given me some platforms, but they spoilt it. So why deny it?
When contacted via Whatsapp, the club’s spokesperson, Mr. Mayuku Charles told MikeThePundit; “No comments pls”
Deputy insists he wants to terminate his contract amidst being maltreated by the club and does not consider himself to play for the club again.