A 17-year-old teenager, Quadri Yusuf Alabi, has been discharged by a Magistrate Court in Apapa, Lagos, after being wrongfully detained for armed robbery. Alabi gained fame in 2023 when he stood in front of the convoy of Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Lead Counsel Inibehe Effiong, in a statement, revealed that Alabi was abducted by local thugs known as “Area Boys” in his community, who demanded a share of donations he received after the viral incident. The thugs turned him over to the police, who fabricated charges against him. Effiong said the police listed Alabi’s age as 18 and linked him to unrelated adult suspects.

At the hearing on April 17, 2025, Magistrate A.O. Olorunfemi dismissed the case for lack of evidence. The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) also found no grounds to proceed, citing fabricated claims and improper handling of the case. Effiong praised the court’s decision and commended the DPP for standing by the truth in this matter.

Effiong has demanded justice, calling for the dismissal of the Divisional Police Officer at Amukoko and a compensation of ₦100 million for Alabi. “We demand that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, and the Inspector General of Police, should as a matter of urgency, remove the DPO of Amukoko Divisional Headquarters and subject him to orderly room trial,” Effiong added. Effiong also urged urgent reforms to hold police officers accountable for abuse and wrongful detention.