The Magistrate Court in Apapa has freed the 17-year-old minor, Alabi Quadri, who went viral ahead of the 2023 general elections for standing in front of the convoy of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Quadri was wrongfully detained for months on a trumped-up charge of armed robbery. He was discharged on Wednesday, April 16, by the Magistrate court after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice found no evidence to support the allegations against him.
The teenager had been remanded at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri since January 26, 2025, following what his legal team described as a “diabolical frame-up” by the police at Amukoko Divisional Headquarters.
According to his lead counsel, human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, Esq., Quadri was abducted by two known area boys in his community — identified as Lege and Baba Waris, who had previously harassed him over donations he received during the 2023 election season.
“Quadri was returning from work when he was grabbed by these individuals, who have repeatedly threatened him for not sharing financial gifts he received. His family was even pressured by the Baale (community leader) to appease the area boys with a cow, rice, and a feast.”
Initially accused of involvement in a street fight, Quadri’s case took a darker turn when the police charged him with armed robbery and presented him before a magistrate. Shockingly, he was grouped with four adult suspects with no known ties to him. The police also falsely listed his age as 18 to avoid the scrutiny that comes with juvenile cases.
Effiong’s team became involved in the case last week after the matter was brought to public attention by Hassana Nurudeen, co-founder of Ray of Hope Prison Outreach. Following swift legal interventions, the court reviewed the DPP’s legal advice, which recommended that Quadri not be prosecuted due to lack of evidence.
Presiding Magistrate A. O. Olorunfemi (Mrs.) accordingly discharged Quadri, bringing a bitter chapter to an end for the teenager.