NIGERIANS have raised over N3 million within two hours to support Alabi Quadri, the teenager released today, Thursday, April 17, from Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos State after being detained for months over what his lawyer described as a ‘baseless’ armed robbery charge.
The appeal, initiated by human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong shortly after his release, sought financial help from Nigerians to urgently relocate Quadri and his family from Amukoko, Lagos, due to persistent threats to their lives.
“We have raised N3 million within two hours of announcing the fundraising for Quadri Alabi.
“We are still far from the target, but the amount raised so far demonstrates that there are good and spirited people in Nigeria,” Effiong wrote in a statement on his social media handle.
Effiong, who has been representing Quadri since the news of his detention broke, said the donations became necessary following serious concerns over the safety of the teenager and his family.
According to him, they began receiving threats almost immediately after Quadri’s release by the court.
“Amukoko is no longer safe for them; those behind his travails can easily target him or his family members again.
“This appeal has become imperative due to active threats to Quadri and his family. As of this morning, they still received threats.
“Upon the release of Quadri at the court, it became apparent that it was no longer safe for them to return to their home. Due to the urgency and severity of the situation, we have paid for and lodged them in a hotel for tonight,” Effiong said in a statement seeking financial assistance from Nigerians.
The lawyer confirmed that as of Thursday evening, over N3 million had been raised.
The funds, he noted, would be used to secure new accommodation for the family, support his widowed mother who trades to survive, and most importantly, rehabilitate Quadri, who has also expressed interest in furthering his education or acquiring a vocational skill.
The ICIR reported that after today’s court appearances, the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions issued advice exonerating him of wrongdoing, leading to his immediate release.
Background
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 electioneering 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.
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