Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has revealed that more than N10 million has been raised within four days to support 17-year-old Quadri Alabi, who was allegedly wrongfully arrested and prosecuted by the police under false pretenses.
Effiong made the revelation during a live interview on Channels Television on Monday, where he appeared alongside Alabi. The teenager was recently released from detention after being accused of participating in a violent street fight in the Amukoko area of Lagos earlier this year.
Alabi was initially charged with armed robbery and remanded alongside four adult suspects. However, he was later released by Magistrate Adetola Olorunfemi, following legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, who found no evidence linking him to the crime.
Speaking on the matter, Effiong accused officers of the Amukoko Police Division of orchestrating a “sinister, oppressive, and corrupt scheme” to frame Alabi—allegedly at the behest of local ‘area boys’ angered by the teen’s rising profile.
“The boy sitting next to me went viral during one of Peter Obi’s campaign rallies in 2023,” Effiong said. “He jumped in front of the convoy, raised his hand, and the moment was captured in a photograph that spread nationwide. Donations followed, and his life changed—but so did the level of harassment he faced.”
Effiong detailed how Alabi became a target of extortion by local area boys, who demanded that his family host a feast for the community with the money he received. When his mother declined, the threats escalated, leading to two separate arrests—with the latest one in January.
“He was returning home from work when area boys identified as Leggy and Baba Waris apprehended him and handed him over to the police, claiming he was involved in a fight,” Effiong explained. “Shockingly, the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Ismaila Ulaniro, detained him illegally for a week and later charged him alongside four adults he had never met.”
Effiong also accused the police of falsifying Alabi’s age, claiming he was 18 in official court documents to ensure his prosecution as an adult. “This was deliberate,” he said. “Had they recorded his real age—17—the court would have handled the matter differently, possibly avoiding remand in a regular prison.”
Alabi recounted his ordeal on air, stating: “I was at the entrance of our house when the police arrested me. The area boys pointed me out. At the station, they took my phone and the money in my pocket. I was locked up with older men.”
Effiong emphasized that the support Alabi has received is a testament to Nigerians’ sense of justice and solidarity. “Over N10 million has been raised in just four days. Our goal is to relocate him from Amukoko and provide a livelihood for his mother, who is a petty trader. This shows the power of collective action and the Nigerian spirit.”
The case has sparked renewed calls for police reform, protection of minors in the justice system, and stricter oversight on human rights abuses by law enforcement officers.
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