A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, revealed that over N10 million has been raised in four days to support a 17-year-old boy, Quadri Alabi, who was falsely accused of armed robbery by Lagos police. Effiong claims the police initially misrepresented Alabi’s age (18) to pursue the case, despite him being 17. Alabi was later released by a magistrate after legal intervention from the DPP. Effiong further alleges a corrupt scheme by police officers, including the DPO, to frame the teenager for the crime, likely instigated by local gangs.
Quadri Alabi, a teenager who gained attention after a photo of him interacting with the Peter Obi campaign convoy went viral, is now the target of extortion by local gangs. Effiong, his lawyer, alleges a pattern of harassment and intimidation by area boys, who, with the alleged complicity of the Amukoko police, falsely accused Alabi of armed robbery. Alabi was reportedly detained for a week before being brought to court, and four unrelated men were added to the charges. The accusations are based on claims of debt and intimidation from the area boys, not actual evidence of crime. The police, Effiong says, acted improperly in detaining Alabi and charging him without proper legal procedures.
Inibehe Effiong alleges the police deliberately misrepresented Quadri Alabi’s age as 18 in court documents to avoid a different legal outcome, potentially avoiding his detention in a regular prison. Alabi himself described his arrest, detailing how area boys pointed him out and that he was the youngest person among those in police custody. He said his phone and money were taken before his arrest. Effiong confirmed over N10 million has been raised in donations for Alabi, aimed at relocating him and providing financial support to his mother.