Quadri Yusuf Alabi, a 17-year-old whose symbolic stance before Peter Obi’s convoy during the 2023 presidential campaign captured national attention, has been released from the Kirikiri Medium Security Custodial Centre, Tribune Online reports.

Alabi’s release was confirmed in a statement by his lead counsel, Inibehe Effiong, following a ruling by Magistrate A. O. Olorunfemi (Mrs.) at the Apapa Magisterial District Court. 

The court discharged the teenager after legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of Lagos State, Dr. Babajide Martins, declared there was no evidence to substantiate the charge of armed robbery levelled against him.

According to the statement, Alabi had been in custody since January after he was allegedly abducted near his home in Amukoko, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area, by two known local thugs and dumped at the Amukoko Divisional Police Headquarters. He was later arraigned and remanded on accusations of armed robbery.

Effiong, who detailed the circumstances of Alabi’s arrest in the statement, revealed that the teenager was returning from work when two local thugs abducted him.

The statement reads partly, “Quadri was returning from work when he was grabbed by the duo, who along with other jealous and entitled Area Boys in the community, have been harassing him and threatening to deal with him since 2023 for not giving them ‘their share’ of donations gifted him during the last elections period.”

Effiong also claimed that police misrepresented Alabi’s age as 18 and fraudulently joined him in a case with four unknown adults. 

“To the consternation of Quadri and his family, the police on 26th January, 2025 took Quadri before a Magistrate in Apapa, and obtained an order remanding him at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri on a trumped-up charge of armed robbery.”

The legal team credited the involvement of rights activist Hassana Nurudeen and the Ray of Hope Prison Outreach for bringing the matter to public attention. Effiong, upon being briefed by Alabi’s mother, immediately took steps to secure his release.

At the court, the DPP’s legal advice concluded that there was no basis for prosecution. “In his Legal Advice, the DPP recommended the non-prosecution of Quadri. Thus, the presiding Magistrate discharged him and he was accordingly freed.”

In light of the ruling, Effiong called for urgent disciplinary action against the officers involved. 

“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 along with the IPO, one Inspector Odigbe Samuel, and other officers who participated in this evil, sinister, oppressive, and corrupt scheme of framing-up a teenager for armed robbery at the behest of rogue ‘Area Boys’.”

He also demanded compensation of N100 million for his client, alongside a public apology from the police, threatening legal action if these demands are not met.

Tribune Online reports that Peter Obi recently called for Alabi’s release. In a post shared via his official X handle, he expressed grave concern over the boy’s continued detention.