Seventeen-year-old Quadri Yusuf Alabi, who gained national attention during the 2023 elections for his courageous display of support for Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, has finally been released from wrongful detention after being held for months on baseless armed robbery charges. The Apapa Magistrate Court in Lagos discharged the teenager on Wednesday following a determination by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions that there was no credible evidence to support the allegations against him.
Quadri’s ordeal began on January 26, 2025, when he was arrested and remanded at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri. His legal team, led by prominent human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, described the case as a “diabolical frame-up” orchestrated by officers at the Amukoko Divisional Police Headquarters. The charges stemmed from what appears to be a personal vendetta by local figures in his community who had previously harassed him over donations he received during the heated 2023 election period.
According to Effiong, Quadri was returning from work when he was abducted by two known area boys in his community – identified as Lege and Baba Waris – who had repeatedly threatened him for not sharing financial gifts he had received. Shockingly, the police not only pursued the fabricated charges but also deliberately falsified Quadri’s age as 18 to avoid the additional protections afforded to minors in the justice system. He was then grouped with four adult suspects with no connection to him in what his lawyers called a blatant attempt to bury his case.
The breakthrough came after prison reform advocate Hassana Nurudeen of Ray of Hope Prison Outreach brought public attention to Quadri’s plight. Following swift legal interventions, Magistrate A.O. Olorunfemi reviewed the DPP’s recommendation and ordered Quadri’s immediate release.
Effiong has now launched a scathing condemnation of the Nigeria Police Force, demanding the immediate removal and disciplinary investigation of the Amukoko Divisional Police Officer and Investigating Police Officer Inspector Odigbe Samuel. The lawyer is also seeking ₦100 million in compensation for Quadri and has threatened legal action if these demands are not met.
“Quadri’s painful case exemplifies the putrefying corruption, monstrous impunity and pervasive injustice that has become institutionalized in the Nigeria Police Force,” Effiong stated. “There are countless other Quadris languishing in detention centers across Nigeria today because of this broken system.”
The teenager’s release has reignited national conversations about police misconduct, the weaponization of the justice system against political opponents, and the urgent need for comprehensive criminal justice reform. As Quadri reunites with his family, activists are calling for accountability and systemic changes to prevent similar injustices.
