The teenager Alabi Quadri, who became poplar for standing in front of Peter Obi’s convoy during the campaigns leading up to the 2023 presidential election, has been released by a Lagos magistrate court.
After being held at Lagos’ Kirikiri Prison for several months, he made his court appearance on Thursday.
As the court decided that Quadri had no case to answer, he was exonerated of allegations that bordered on conspiracy to conduct criminal and armed robbery.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) provided legal advice, and the magistrate, Adetola Olorunfemi, authorized Quadri’s release.
The boy who stood in front of Peter Obi’s convoy was accused of armed robbery, however the DPP said that there was no proof to support this claim. Recall that Inibehe Effiong, a human right activist handling the case had earlier released updates on the case.
The young Nigerian’s courageous act of blocking the convoy of Peter Obi, the then-Labour Party presidential candidate, during the 2023 general elections made him a national emblem of bravery.
Although the hearing for his case was originally set for April 28, 2025, the Nigerian Correctional Service brought him before the Apapa Magistrate Court.
Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer and activist, revealed that the court granted his and the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) plea to move the date forward.
Alabi Quadri’s recent experience in the Nigerian jail system, according to Effiong, was brought on by years of animosity from certain self-described “area boys” (local gangsters) in his neighborhood rather than any significant criminal offense.
