Quadri Yusuf Alabi, the 17-year-old who stood in front of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s convoy during the 2023 elections, has regained his freedom after months of detention at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri.
Alabi was released on Wednesday, April 17 2025, after the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions advised that there was no evidence linking him to the armed robbery charge filed by the Amukoko Divisional Police Headquarters.
The case, presided over by Magistrate A.O. Olorunfemi at the Apapa Magistrate Court, was dismissed following the legal advice from Dr Babajide Martins, who confirmed that there was no basis for prosecution. Alabi was accordingly discharged and freed.
According to his legal counsel, Inibehe Effiong Esq, the teenager was abducted near his residence in Amukoko under Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area by two individuals known in the community as Lege and Baba Waris.
The abductors, identified as members of a group of Area Boys, had reportedly harassed Alabi since 2023 after accusing him of withholding donations received following his viral encounter with Obi.
The Baale of the community allegedly pressured the family to provide food and a cow as appeasement for the group.
Following the abduction, Alabi was taken to the Amukoko Divisional Police Headquarters, where officers were told he had been involved in a street fight.
However, on January 26 2025 the police arraigned him and secured a court order for his remand at Kirikiri under a fabricated armed robbery charge.
The police falsely grouped Alabi with four adult suspects he had no connection to and presented them as co-defendants. Officers also misrepresented his age as 18 despite knowing he was a minor.
Effiong disclosed that intervention efforts began when activist Hassana Nurudeen, Co-founder of Ray of Hope Prison Outreach, brought public attention to the case. After being briefed by Alabi’s mother, his legal team escalated the matter and took urgent legal action.
The Lagos DPP advised that there was no credible evidence to justify prosecution. The court accepted the recommendation and struck out the case.
Effiong has called for immediate disciplinary action against the Divisional Police Officer of Amukoko Station, the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Odigbe Samuel, and all other officers involved in the case.
He also demanded N100 million in compensation for Alabi and a public apology from the Nigeria Police Force.
He warned that failure to meet the demands would result in legal action.
“This is a painful example of the putrefying corruption monstrous impunity and pervasive injustice in the Nigeria Police Force”, the statement read. “There are many Quadris languishing in detention centres across Nigeria because of the unbridled criminality, lawlessness and lack of accountability in the Police institution and the weakness of the justice system.”
The legal team commended the Lagos Director of Public Prosecutions for upholding the truth and securing the release of an innocent teenager wrongfully detained for nearly three months.
