In a tale that intertwines fleeting internet fame with a harrowing brush with systemic injustice, 17-year-old Kadri Alabi has emerged from three months of wrongful incarceration to demand accountability, compensation, and a chance to rebuild his shattered life. His story—a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by Nigeria’s youth—began with a moment of courage and spiralled into a nightmare of corruption, intimidation, and institutional failure.
The Viral Moment That Changed Everything
In 2023, Kadri Alabi, then a teenager from Amukoko, Lagos, stepped into the spotlight when he stood defiantly before the convoy of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, during a campaign visit. The encounter, captured in a viral video, symbolized youthful audacity. Obi, moved by the boy’s boldness, reportedly gifted him cash—a gesture that unwittingly set off a chain of perilous events.
A Community’s Greed, A System’s Complicity
The goodwill Kadri received soon became a curse. Local “area boys,” envious of his sudden windfall, allegedly kidnapped him, demanding a share of the money. When he resisted, they colluded with officers at the Amukoko Police Station, fabricating charges of armed robbery and street fighting. What followed was a chilling orchestration of injustice: Kadri, a minor, was unlawfully remanded at Kirikiri Medium Security Custodial Centre alongside four unrelated adults. Police falsified his age as 18 to mask the absurdity of charging a child with armed robbery, while a complicit magistrate approved his detention without evidence.
For three months, Kadri languished in custody—a pawn in a corrupt scheme—until Lagos State’s Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), led by Dr. Babajide Martins, intervened. The DPP’s legal advice exposed the sham: “No evidence substantiates these allegations.” On Thursday, Magistrate A.O. Olorunfemi discharged Kadri, vindicating him but leaving scars that no court ruling can heal.
Demanding Accountability: N100M Compensation and Police Reckoning
Kadri’s legal team, led by human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, has launched a fierce campaign for redress. Their demands are unambiguous:
- Immediate disciplinary action against Amukoko’s Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Investigating Police Officer (IPO) Inspector Odigbe Samuel, and all complicit officers.
- N100 million in compensation for Kadri’s trauma, funded by the Nigeria Police Force.
- A public apology acknowledging the wrongful arrest and detention.
“This was not a mistake—it was a sinister, oppressive plot to destroy a child’s life,” Effiong declared, vowing litigation if the state fails to act. The case has reignited debates about police brutality, ethnic profiling, and the weaponization of Nigeria’s justice system against the poor.
A Family Under Siege: Threats, Extortion, and a Plea for Sanctuary
Freedom, however, has not brought safety. Kadri’s family remains terrorized by the same actors who orchestrated his arrest. Area boys, emboldened by impunity, have threatened retribution, forcing the family into hiding. Even the community’s traditional leader (baale) reportedly pressured them to “appease” their tormentors with a ritual offering of rice and a cow—a cruel twist of cultural extortion.
Effiong, now coordinating a fundraiser, revealed the family’s dire straits: “Amukoko is a death trap. We secured a hotel for tonight, but they need permanent relocation, financial stability, and Kadri’s rehabilitation.” The campaign aims to raise funds for shelter, education, vocational training, and support for Kadri’s widowed mother, a petty trader struggling to feed her children.
A Second Chance: Education, Healing, and Hope
Kadri’s ordeal has not dimmed his aspirations. “He wants to return to school and learn a trade,” Effiong shared, emphasizing the urgency of societal support. “Rehabilitating Quadri isn’t charity—it’s an investment in a future he was nearly robbed of.”
Donors have been assured of transparency, with strict measures to prevent fraud. Yet, the fundraiser transcends one boy’s survival; it is a litmus test for Nigeria’s collective conscience. Will society rally to protect a child failed by the state, or will indifference compound the injustice?
A Mirror Held to Nigeria’s Broken Promise
Kadri Alabi’s story is more than a legal battle—it is a searing indictment of a system that criminalizes poverty, empowers corruption, and abandons its youth. His viral moment, once a symbol of hope, now underscores a chilling reality: in Nigeria, innocence is no shield against predation.
As Kadri seeks solace in anonymity and his lawyers fight for redress, the question lingers: How many more children must endure this fate before the system changes? For now, his fight is a clarion call—a demand for justice, a plea for empathy, and a testament to resilience in the face of a state that too often forgets its most vulnerable.
“When the law becomes a tool of oppression, the people must become the architects of justice.” — Kaadri’s battle is Nigeria’s reckoning.
NzeIkayMedia
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The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay Media) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.
