The controversial detention of a young Nigerian, Alabi Quadri, has sparked outrage following a public statement issued by his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who described the unfolding legal saga as yet another tragic consequence of systemic injustice in Nigeria.
“Nigeria has happened to Alabi Quadri,” Effiong declared in a strongly worded statement after visiting the minor at the Kirikiri Minimum Security Custodial Centre in Apapa, Lagos.
Effiong, accompanied by a colleague, Alabi’s mother, other relatives, and the social activist who brought the case to light, was at the Apapa Magistrate Court on Tuesday, April 9, 2025, to investigate the circumstances surrounding Alabi’s arrest, detention, and remand.
After hours spent at the court and a subsequent visit to the custodial centre, the legal team confirmed a shocking development: Alabi has been in detention since January, allegedly abducted by self-styled “area boys” near his home while returning from work.
Effiong stated, “He was abducted by ‘Area Boys’ close to his home while returning from work.”
The origin of Alabi’s ordeal, according to accounts by him and his mother, appears to be linked to a now-viral moment during the 2023 presidential campaign when Alabi stood in front of Labour Party candidate Mr. Peter Obi’s convoy. That brief act, which led to an outpouring of financial goodwill from supporters, allegedly turned sour when local toughs felt snubbed by Alabi’s failure to share his blessings.
“His painful walk to prison can be attributed to the prolonged malice nursed by some self-acclaimed area boys of his locality who felt entitled to a share of the unexpected fortune that came Alabi’s way,” Effiong wrote.
Their retaliation was swift and severe: after abducting him, they handed him over to officers at Amukoko Police Station—popularly known as Pako Police Station—accusing him of being a street fighter.
Shockingly, police then charged Alabi alongside four total strangers with conspiracy and armed robbery, claiming they used cutlasses to rob two people of N579,000 in cash and phones.
“It came as a rude shock when the Police took him before a Magistrate along with four other individuals who are complete strangers to him,” Effiong said.
“Speaking objectively, we all left Kirikiri with a strong conviction that this gentleman is just another victim of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.”
Perhaps most disturbing, Effiong revealed, is the fact that **Alabi is a minor—less than 18 years old—**yet he has been remanded alongside adults three times while awaiting legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
“The court remanded him along with the four strange individuals who are all adults at the custodial centre pending Legal Advice by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP),” Effiong noted.
The legal team has vowed to exhaust all available avenues to secure his release.
“We shall provide additional information and the available legal options subsequently. Suffice it to say that we will do all that is legally permissible to secure Alabi’s freedom.”
