In just four days, more than N10 million has been raised to support 17-year-old Quadri Alabi, who was allegedly wrongfully arrested and charged by the police in Lagos.

The revelation came from human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, where he appeared alongside Alabi.

Effiong accused officers from the Amukoko Police Division of manipulating Alabi’s age and working with local area boys to falsely charge him with a crime he did not commit.

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Alabi was arrested earlier this year in connection with a street fight in the Amukoko area, but he was eventually cleared after Magistrate Adetola Olorunfemi acted on legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins.

Speaking out against the police’s actions, Effiong described the ordeal as part of a “sinister, oppressive, and corrupt scheme” involving rogue area boys.

He explained that Alabi’s rise to fame came after a spontaneous moment during Peter Obi’s 2023 campaign tour, where Alabi jumped in front of the convoy and raised his hand, a photo of which quickly went viral.

“The boy sitting next to me, Quadri Alabi, went viral in 2023 during one of Peter Obi’s campaign tours. He spontaneously jumped in front of the convoy, raised his hand, and the photo went viral. That moment changed his life,” Effiong said.

However, Effiong claimed that the publicity also brought Alabi unwanted attention.

“Local area boys began extorting him, saying he hadn’t ‘settled’ them. They even told his mother to buy a cow, cook rice, and throw a feast for the community. When she refused, the threats continued,” Effiong added.

The harassment escalated when Alabi was allegedly targeted again in January. Effiong described how two area boys, known as Leggy and Baba Waris, arrested Alabi after claiming he had ignored them despite receiving donations from Peter Obi.

They handed him over to the police, where he was detained for a week before being charged alongside four adult men he had never met.

“They accused him of armed robbery said to have occurred on January 22 at 10 p.m. No identification parade was conducted, and there was no evidence linking him to the crime,” Effiong explained.

Alabi’s ordeal was further complicated when the police falsely listed his age as 18, allowing him to be tried in a regular court. Effiong argued that had his real age of 17 been documented, the court would have treated the case differently.

“The police falsely claimed he was 18 in court documents. If they had said he was 17, the court would have treated the matter differently—possibly not even remanding him in a regular prison,” Effiong said.

Alabi, recounting his experience, said, “I was just at the entrance of my house when the police came and arrested me. The area boys pointed me out. At the station, I was the youngest there.

“I was locked up with older men. They asked me what I did, and I said nothing.” He also revealed that the area boys had earlier taken his phone and money before handing him over to the police.

Despite the challenges, Alabi’s case has sparked an outpouring of public support. Effiong confirmed that Nigerians have donated over N10 million in just four days to assist Alabi.

“The goal is to relocate him from Amukoko and secure a source of income for his mother, who is a petty trader,” Effiong stated, highlighting the generosity and resilience of the Nigerian people. “This shows the strength of the Nigerian spirit,” he added.