Quadri Yusuf Alabi, the 17-year-old teenager who gained attention ahead of the 2023 general elections for standing before Peter Obi’s convoy, has been freed after months of wrongful imprisonment at the Kirikiri Medium Security Custodial Centre.
Alabi was framed for armed robbery by the Lagos police following a set-up by local ‘area boys’.
Alabi was abducted in January 2025 by two local thugs, identified as Lege and Baba Waris, who had been harassing him for not sharing the donations he had received after becoming famous.
The two men handed him over to the Amukoko Divisional Police Headquarters, where he was wrongfully charged with armed robbery.
A court hearing on Thursday, 17 April 2025, saw the presiding Magistrate, His Honour A.O. Olorunfemi, discharged Alabi after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) confirmed no evidence to support the armed robbery allegations. The DPP’s recommendation for non-prosecution led to Alabi’s release.
The teenager’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has called for dismissing the officers involved, demanding a public apology and compensation for Alabi.
Effiong warned of ongoing corruption within the Nigerian police force, calling Alabi’s case a stark example of impunity.
Alabi has now been reunited with his family, and efforts to relocate them from their current neighbourhood are underway. Effiong also announced plans for Alabi’s rehabilitation.
