Effiong Blasts Nigerian Police Over Quadri Incident: ‘No Hope For Redemption

Nigerian human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who is representing Quadri Alabi—recently acquitted of armed robbery charges—has strongly criticized the Lagos State Police Command over its public remarks regarding the teenager.

According to reports, the Lagos Police had claimed that Quadri was identified by community members as a suspect in a robbery incident. Effiong, however, described the police statement as false, misleading, and lacking in accountability, firmly rejecting their claims in a statement issued on Saturday.

He further revealed that the teenage supporter of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was held in detention for a week before he was arraigned in court.

Effiong asserted that the Lagos Police’s remarks expose the deep-rooted flaws in the Nigerian Police Force, suggesting that the institution may be beyond redemption.

His statement read in part:

“Our attention has been drawn to a deceptive and provocative statement released by the Lagos State Police Command, which attempts to misinform the public about the false charges brought against Quadri Alabi.

The police’s claims are not only laughable and absurd, but also a disgraceful spread of fake news targeting an innocent Nigerian youth.

They allege Quadri was arrested for involvement in a street fight, vandalism, and robbery—asserting that he was identified by community members and victims.

First, we reiterate that Quadri is 17 years old, not 18 as falsely stated by the police. This is confirmed by his birth certificate and his mother’s testimony. He was born on September 29, 2007.

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Second, he had no involvement in any street fight, robbery, or property destruction.

Third, at no point was Quadri identified by any victim. The police must explain when, where, and how this alleged identification took place. There was no identification parade, as required by law, especially since the alleged crime occurred around 10 p.m.

Lastly, while the police claim Quadri was arrested, they fail to disclose who made the arrest or the exact location, which speaks volumes about the credibility of their account.”