Police Reveal Real Reason Boy Who Stood in Front of Peter Obi’s Convoy Was Arrested

Alabi Quadri, the teenager who drew attention during the 2023 presidential campaign when he stood in front of Labour Party candidate Peter Obi’s convoy, has been released from custody after being wrongfully detained over his alleged involvement in a violent street fight.

According to the Lagos State Police Command, Quadri was arrested following a violent incident that occurred in the Amukoko area on January 22, 2025. The clash involved several youths and resulted in injuries, property damage, and reports of robbery against innocent passersby. Police said Quadri and four others were apprehended based on witness accounts and statements from victims who identified some of the suspects.

In a statement shared on the command’s official X handle, Police Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin said the arrests and subsequent charges were the result of a thorough investigation. He noted that the suspects were remanded in a correctional facility pending the outcome of legal proceedings.

However, new developments revealed that the charges against Quadri lacked merit. He was released on Thursday by a Magistrate Court in Apapa after the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions issued legal advice finding no evidence to support the armed robbery allegation.

Quadri’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, described the entire situation as a “diabolical frame-up” orchestrated by two known thugs in the community, identified as Lege and Baba Waris. Effiong alleged that these men kidnapped Quadri near his residence and handed him over to the police, falsely accusing him of involvement in the street fight.

Effiong further claimed that his client had been targeted since 2023, when he began receiving donations from supporters of Peter Obi, and said he himself had received threats from the same individuals. The family was also reportedly pressured by local leaders to buy a cow and host a feast to restore peace in the neighborhood.

Though the police initially described the case as a street fight, they later charged Quadri with armed robbery on January 26. He was detained with four adult strangers, and his age was wrongly recorded as 18.

The Lagos State Police Command has urged the public to remain calm and allow the judicial process to continue, reaffirming its commitment to justice, transparency, and public safety.