Alabi Quadri, the 17-year-old who became a symbol of youthful support during the 2023 presidential election after being captured in a viral photograph alongside Peter Obi’s campaign motorcade, has broken his silence following his release from Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.
In a deeply emotional interview with Channels Television on Monday, the young man recounted his harrowing experience in police custody and detention.
Alabi’s nightmare began unexpectedly after returning home from his job as a motor boy. He revealed that he was unaware of any unrest in his community on the day he was arrested. According to him, local thugs—often referred to as “area boys”—suddenly confronted and handed him over to police officers without any explanation.
“I didn’t even know anything had happened that day. I was just returning home from work. But some guys in the area grabbed me and took me to the police,” he said.
Alabi believes his sudden arrest was connected to the attention he received after the viral campaign photo with Peter Obi. He explained that following the photo’s widespread circulation, he and his family received threats, with some individuals claiming he had been given money and demanding a share of it.
“Since the campaign picture went viral, it felt like people were watching me. Someone even told my mother that they would split me into two if I didn’t share the money they assumed I received. They threatened to kidnap me and take me somewhere she would never find me,” Alabi recalled.
Upon arrival at the police station, Alabi was thrown into a cell with older, unfamiliar men. Days later, he was transferred to Kirikiri Prison, where his ordeal intensified. He spoke of the inhumane treatment he suffered, particularly the degrading tasks he was forced to do due to his inability to pay the prison marshals.
“At Kirikiri, my job every day was to clean human waste from morning till 6 p.m. because I couldn’t afford to pay the marshall. That was the price I had to pay,” he recounted, his voice filled with pain.
While the Lagos State Police Command claimed Alabi had been arrested on charges of public disturbance and robbery, his family and supporters insist the accusations were fabricated. Many believe he was targeted as a scapegoat due to his association—however indirect—with the Labour Party’s presidential campaign.
Human rights advocates and concerned citizens have since called for accountability, demanding investigations into the circumstances surrounding his arrest and treatment in detention.
After enduring months behind bars, Alabi was finally released on April 17, 2025. His story has sparked renewed conversations about police brutality, wrongful arrests, and the vulnerability of Nigerian youth caught in the crossfire of political and social unrest.
