A Lagos court has ordered the release of 17-year-old Quadri Yusuf Alabi, the teenager who became popular during the 2023 general elections after standing in front of the convoy of Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
Quadri, who was controversially charged with armed robbery, was discharged and freed on Wednesday, April 17, 2025.
Quadri had been remanded at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, following a complaint filed by officers of the Amukoko Divisional Police Headquarters (Pako Police Station) on January 26, 2025.
According to a statement released by his legal representative, Inibehe Effiong, Esq., the teenager was abducted by two well-known “Area Boys” — identified as Lege and Baba Waris — while returning from work near his family residence in Amukoko, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State.
“They dumped him at the police station and falsely accused him of street fighting,” Effiong explained. “To the utter shock of his family, the police later arraigned him before a Magistrate on a trumped-up charge of armed robbery.”
The statement, which was signed by Effiong, revealed that Quadri had faced harassment from community thugs who were envious of the donations he received after the viral incident in 2023.
His family was allegedly pressured by the local Baale to cook food for the area boys as a form of appeasement — an offer they could not fulfill.
Effiong stated: “The police officers, in their bid to validate the false charge, fraudulently joined Quadri with four strange adults and misrepresented his age as 18, despite knowing he was a minor.”
The intervention came after Ms. Hassana Nurudeen, Co-founder of Ray of Hope Prison Outreach, brought the matter to public attention. Quadri’s mother then reached out to Effiong, who escalated the case promptly.
Delivering judgment, the presiding Magistrate, His Honour, A.O. Olorunfemi (Mrs.), said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, advised against prosecuting Quadri, having found no evidence of the alleged crime.
“In his legal advice, the DPP concluded that the allegation of armed robbery against our client was baseless,” Effiong noted. “We commend the DPP for standing by the truth.”
In his reaction, Effiong called on the Nigeria Police Force to urgently discipline all officers involved in the wrongful detention, including the Divisional Police Officer of Amukoko and the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Odigbe Samuel.
“We are demanding the sum of One Hundred Million Naira (N100,000,000.00) in compensation for our client, a public apology from the Police, and disciplinary action against all erring officers.”
“If these remedial steps are not taken, we shall institute legal proceedings to seek redress,” Effiong declared.
He added: “Quadri’s ordeal reflects the deep-rooted impunity, corruption, and rot within the Nigerian Police Force. There are many other young Nigerians like Quadri languishing in detention for crimes they never committed.”
The statement concluded with a strong warning: “History will vindicate the just.”
