Despite being a minor, Alabi Quadri appeared before the Magistrate on three occasions and continues to be held with adult suspects, pending advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Lagos, Nigeria – Alabi Quadri, the teenager who captured public attention during the 2023 presidential campaign after boldly standing in front of Peter Obi’s convoy, is now at the centre of a troubling legal battle. He has been held at the Minimum Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos, since January over what many are calling a trumped-up armed robbery charge.
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who led a fact-finding mission to the Apapa Magistrate Court on Tuesday, April 9, shared chilling details of Alabi’s ordeal. The visit included members of his legal team, Alabi’s mother, relatives, and the activist who initially brought the matter to public attention.
According to Effiong, Alabi—who is confirmed to be under 18—was reportedly abducted by area boys near his home while returning from work. The assailants, believed to be nursing grudges over Alabi’s refusal to share the money he was gifted after his viral encounter with Obi, allegedly handed him over to the police at Amukoko (Pako) Police Station.
Initially accused of being involved in local street fights, the narrative took a shocking turn when Alabi was arraigned alongside four adults he had never met. The police accused them of conspiracy and armed robbery, alleging that they used cutlasses to steal N579,000 worth of cash and phones from two victims.
Effiong, after a two-hour interview with Alabi at the Kirikiri facility, expressed serious doubts about the charges. “It’s clear to us that Alabi is a victim of Nigeria’s deeply flawed justice system,” he said.
Despite being a minor, Alabi has appeared before the Magistrate on three occasions and continues to be held with adult suspects, pending advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Effiong pledged to exhaust all legal options to secure Alabi’s release, promising further updates as the case develops.
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