Alabi Quadri, the teenage boy who went viral during Peter Obi’s 2023 campaign, is now in prison.
Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer, says the boy has been in Kirikiri Custodial Centre since January.
Quadri had become a social media sensation in February 2023 after he stretched his arms in salute during Obi’s campaign rally in Lagos. Obi, standing through the sunroof of his car, smiled back at the boy in the now-famous photo.
That single moment gave Quadri fame and reportedly brought him some monetary gifts from well-wishers. But now, he is in jail — and Effiong says it’s for a crime he didn’t commit.
Falsely Implicated In Robbery
An activist on X recently posted that Quadri was wrongly arrested and is now stuck in prison. The post drew massive attention and prompted Obi and Effiong to step in.
Effiong later visited Quadri with the boy’s family. After speaking to him in Kirikiri, Effiong said Quadri had been “abducted by area boys who were angry that he didn’t share the money he got after going viral.”
“After abducting Alabi,” Effiong said, “the same area boys dragged him to Amukoko Police Station and accused him of robbery.”
At first, the boys accused him of fighting in the area. But things took a serious turn when the police filed an armed robbery charge against him.
“They said he conspired with four strangers and used cutlasses to rob two people of ₦579,000 worth of cash and phones,” Effiong added.
Effiong said he spent two hours with Quadri and found the story deeply troubling. “Speaking objectively, we all left Kirikiri with a strong conviction that this gentleman is just another victim of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.”
Quadri Remanded With Adults, Despite Being a Minor
Quadri has now appeared in court three times. He’s still being held with four adults he doesn’t even know.
“Alabi is a minor. He’s under 18,” Effiong explained. “The court has remanded him pending advice from the Lagos State DPP.”
Effiong promised to continue pushing for Quadri’s release. “We will do everything legally permissible to set him free,” he promised.
The story has stirred strong reactions online, particularly among #Obidients, an amorphous group of fanatical supporters of Peter Obi.
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