…as lawyer accuses police of framing him for robbery
Prominent human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has disclosed that over N10 million has been raised within four days to support 17-year-old Quadri Alabi, who was allegedly framed by police officers in Lagos and falsely presented as an adult to prosecute him in court.
Effiong made this revelation during a live interview on Channels Television on Monday, where he appeared alongside Alabi, shedding light on what he described as a “corrupt and sinister” attempt by rogue officers and local hoodlums to implicate the teenager in a fabricated armed robbery case.
Alabi, who gained public attention in 2023 after his viral appearance at a political rally for Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was arrested in January 2024 in the Amukoko area of Lagos. According to Effiong, Alabi was targeted by local area boys demanding a share of the donations he received following his viral fame. When he and his mother refused to meet their extortion demands, the hoodlums allegedly colluded with police officers to frame him.
“The DPO of Amukoko Division, CSP Ismaila Ulaniro, conspired with some officers and local area boys to detain and falsely accuse this boy of armed robbery,” Effiong said.
“He was held for a week without charge, then arraigned with four adults he had never seen before. There was no evidence, no identification parade. Worse, the police deliberately falsified his age to 18 so he could be remanded in prison like an adult.”
Effiong added that Alabi’s mother had been previously harassed by the same group of thugs, who demanded she throw a community feast with a cow and bags of rice in celebration of her son’s newfound fame.
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Alabi, recounting his ordeal, said: “I was standing at the entrance of our house when they came. Area boys pointed me out. They had already collected my phone and money. At the station, I was locked up with older men and treated like a criminal.”
The teen was eventually released after the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins, advised the Magistrate Court to drop the charges, citing lack of evidence.
Since the incident, public outrage and solidarity have poured in. Effiong confirmed that over N10 million has been raised in donations to support Alabi and relocate him from Amukoko for his safety. Part of the funds will also be used to empower his mother, a petty trader, and help rebuild their lives.
“This is a powerful statement about the strength of the Nigerian people,” Effiong said. “We will not let a corrupt system destroy the life of a young man who has already suffered so much for simply being visible.”
The case has reignited calls for reform within the Nigeria Police Force and greater protection for minors within the justice system.