QUADRI Yusuf Alabi, the 17-year-old who captured national attention during the 2023 elections by boldly standing in front of Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi’s convoy, has regained freedom after months in detention.
A Lagos Magistrate Court on Thursday, April 17, discharged the teenager following legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which confirmed there was no evidence to support the armed robbery charge levelled against him.
Quadri was held at the Kirikiri Medium Security Custodial Centre in Lagos over what his lawyer described as a ‘baseless’ armed robbery charge.
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, who represented the teenager, confirmed the boy’s release in a statement on Thursday, April 17.
Effiong said the Lagos State DPP found no evidence to support the charge and recommended his discharge.
He noted that the presiding judge, A. O. Olorunfemi, discharged the teenager.
Background
The ICIR reported that Quadri’s ordeal began in January 2025 when he was abducted by two self-proclaimed “area boys,” identified as Lege and Baba Waris, near his home in Amukoko, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The teenager, who was returning from work at the time, was dragged to the Amukoko Divisional Police Headquarters (popularly known as Pako Police Station) and accused of participating in street fights, according to his lawyer.
But when the police arraigned him, he was charged with robbery involving four adults he did not know.
The police alleged that the group robbed two individuals of four mobile phones and cash, totalling N579,000, using cutlasses.
The lawyer also stated the police misrepresented his age to be 18, “knowing that disclosing his actual age would likely raise eyebrows.”
Effiong stated that the young boy’s predicament began following his viral picture during the 2023 campaign event when he stood in front of Obi’s convoy and later received financial support from the public.
The lawyer said some area boys felt entitled to a share and began to harrass him for not ‘settling’ them.
He further described the case as another example of Nigeria’s flawed justice system.
His detention drew public attention three months after his arrest, following a viral post on X by user @Hausa_girl showing his iconic photo and revealing he had been languishing in Kirikiri prison.
The post led to widespread reactions, including from Peter Obi, who urged that the rule of law be respected and contacted Effiong to take up the case.
Effiong threatens legal action against police, demands 100 million compensation
Effiong demanded the immediate removal and disciplinary action against the Divisional Police Officer of Amukoko, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) Odigbe Samuel (an inspector), and others involved in the boy’s travails.
He also called on the Nigeria Police Force to issue a public apology and pay N100 million in compensation to Quadri for his unlawful detention and psychological trauma inflicted on him.
“We demand that the Nigeria Police Force should pay the sum of One Hundred Million Naira (N100,000,000.00) to our client as compensation. Also, we demand a public apology from the police.
“If the above three remedial demands are not fully complied with immediately, we shall initiate legal actions to seek redress,” the lawyer added.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M