Kwara United FC has formally dismissed allegations that the club abandoned former defender Anthony Anioke during his recent injury spell, describing the claims as an attempt at "cheap blackmail."

The club's Chairman, Kumbi Titiloye, broke the silence on the matter on Sunday, January 25, 2026, clarifying that the Harmony Boys had acted professionally throughout the player's tenure. According to Titiloye, Anioke joined the club with a pre-existing injury, which the club was prepared to manage through its approved medical team. However, the player reportedly refused to undergo the recommended treatment.

Further debunking the neglect claims, the Chairman revealed that Kwara United continued to fulfill its financial obligations to the player, paying Anioke's full salary for four consecutive months while he was sidelined.

"No player can subject the club to ridicule or cheap blackmail after refusing medical treatment from our approved medical team," Titiloye stated. "Anthony Anioke joined the club with an existing injury, and despite our readiness to manage his condition, he chose to leave."

The club reaffirmed its commitment to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) guidelines regarding player welfare and safety. Titiloye emphasized that while the club prioritizes the health of its athletes, it will not tolerate actions that undermine professional protocols or misrepresent the management's efforts.

The controversy comes at a testing time for Kwara United, as the squad is currently grappling with what Coach Ashifat Suleiman described as an "unprecedented injury crisis" affecting several key players at the start of the season's second stanza.