Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, counsel to Alabi Quadri, the teenager who became a viral sensation during the 2023 presidential election campaign, has accused the Lagos State Police Command of spreading disinformation and fabricating charges against his client.
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In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Effiong described the police’s version of events surrounding Quadri’s recent arrest as “laughable” and a “gross act of recklessness.”
“Our attention has been drawn to a false and provocative statement issued by the Lagos State Police Command,” Effiong wrote.
“It is embarrassing to see the police spread fake news about an innocent Nigerian child.”
Quadri, who gained nationwide attention after standing in front of Peter Obi’s convoy in Lagos last year, was recently arrested and remanded at a correctional centre over allegations of robbery and public disturbance in the Amukoko area of the state.
According to police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin, Quadri was apprehended for “street fighting,” and victims allegedly identified him as part of a group involved in vandalism and robbery. Hundeyin also claimed Quadri is 18 years old.
Effiong, however, dismissed the police account as “mischievous and deeply misleading.”
“First, we wish to restate that Quadri is not 18 years old as mischievously claimed by the police. He is 17, as stated in his birth certificate and attested to by his mother. He was born on September 29, 2007,” Effiong clarified. “Second, Quadri was not involved in any street fighting. He did not rob anyone, nor did he damage any property.”
According to Effiong, Quadri was abducted by two known area boys—Lege and Baba Waris—while returning from work, and was later dumped at the Amukoko Police Division. The two men, he alleged, have been harassing the teenager since 2023 in an attempt to extort money from donations made to him after his viral moment.
Effiong also questioned the legitimacy of the police’s claim that victims had identified Quadri.
“At no time was our client identified by any victim of the alleged crimes. The police should disclose when and where this supposed identification took place and the method used.
How was Quadri identified when no identification parade was conducted, as required by law—especially given that the alleged offences occurred at about 10 p.m.?”
The lawyer further criticised the police for detaining Quadri for nearly a week before taking him to court, calling it a violation of his constitutional rights.
“The law is clear: once the constitutional limit for detention without charge expires, any subsequent remand order cannot cure that breach,” he stated.
Effiong also noted that the other individuals remanded with Quadri are adults with no connection to the teenager. He said the police failed to provide any explanation linking them.
He condemned the police’s insistence on pushing a discredited narrative, despite a legal advisory from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) exonerating Quadri—a development that led to his discharge by the court.
“Rather than show remorse, the Lagos State Police Command has chosen the ignoble path of doubling down on its acts of perfidy, shamelessness, lawlessness, and contempt for justice and truth. We condemn this gross act of recklessness and irresponsibility,” Effiong declared..
“By taking this path, the Nigeria Police Force is reminding the country how far it remains from redemption.”
Effiong concluded by stating that legal action would be taken against specific officers, including CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, CSP Olaniran Ismaila O. of Amukoko, and Inspector Odigbe Samuel, among others.
“We shall meet them in court to seek redress and compensation for Quadri,” he said, adding that a formal complaint will also be filed against the DPO of Amukoko at the Police Service Commission (PSC).
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