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The end is not yet heard in the detention of now freed Alabi Quadri, the boy that gained national attention for standing in front of the campaign convoy of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election.
The minor’s detention in prison for four months over alleged street fighting stirred up much dust lately leading to his release courtesy of human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong.
In apparent defence of its action after much backlash, the Lagos State Police Command in a post on micro logging site, tagged: “Clarification of on the case of Alabi Quadri”, stated that the ”18-year-old” was arrested for his involvement in a violent incident on January 22, 2025 at the Amukoko area.
It claimed that the big street fight got out of hand, leading to property damage and innocent people being hurt and robbed.
It also said that following investigation and the help of community members and victims the police arrested Quadri and four others, who were linked to the chaos with credible evidence.
Subsequently, the matter was taken to court properly and the court ordered their remand in a correctional facility.
The police authorities insisted that they followed the rules, as their interest was to see that justice was done.
However, Quadri’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has countered the police claims in a post on X and accused the police of peddling falsehoods in an attempt to cover up the wrongful detention of the Quadri whom he said is 17 years old, not 18, as claimed by police.
According to a statement released on April 19, 2025, Effiong described the police’s account of Quadri’s arrest as “ridiculous,” and “an embarrassment,” contending that the entire case against the teenager was fabricated.
According to the lawyer, Quadri was not arrested in connection with any violent crime, contrary to what the police claimed. Instead, Effiong explained that the teenager was abducted by two local touts—Lege and Baba Waris—while returning home from work, and was later dumped at the Amukoko Police Station.
These same individuals, he said, have been trying to extort Quadri ever since his viral moment in 2023, when he stood in front of Peter Obi’s convoy and gained national attention.
Effiong also debunked the police’s claim that Quadri is 18 years old. He clarified that the boy is actually 17, with a birth certificate and his mother’s testimony confirming he was born on September 29, 2007. H
Furthermore, he stated that Quadri was never involved in street fighting, robbery, or vandalism. There was no identification parade, no valid identification by victims, and no clear explanation from the police on who arrested him or where the arrest occurred. Effiong pointed out that the four other individuals remanded alongside Quadri are adults and complete strangers to him, with no established connection.
The lawyer vowed to sue the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, the DPO of Amukoko, and other officers involved as well as formally petition the Police Service Commission on the matter.
