A magistrate court in Apapa, Lagos, has ordered the release of Alabi Quadri, a teenager who was wrongfully accused of armed robbery.
Quadri gained fame in 2023 after a photo of him went viral during the presidential election campaign featuring Peter Obi.
Background
Quadri was arrested in January 2025 after some young men claimed he was part of a robbery group in his community. However, his mother attributed the arrest to street urchins seeking to benefit from the largesse he received after his photo went viral.
Court Judgment
Magistrate Adetola Olorunfemi ordered Quadri’s release following legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who found no evidence to substantiate the armed robbery allegations.
Demands for Compensation
Quadri’s lawyer, human rights activist Inibehe Effiong, demands that the police:
– Pay N100 million in compensation to Quadri
– Tender a public apology to Quadri
– Remove divisional police officers involved in the alleged framing of Quadri for armed robbery
Effiong condemned the police’s actions, describing Quadri’s case as an example of “putrefying corruption, monstrous impunity, and pervasive injustice in the Nigeria Police Force”.