In a just society, a 17-year-old boy like Quadri Alabi would be celebrated for his bravery, not imprisoned. But Nigeria is no such society— not when the police force has become an engine of oppression, not protection. The vile saga of Quadri Alabi, framed, abused and dumped in Kirikiri Prison for a crime he did not commit, exposes yet again the rot in the Nigeria Police Force, where corruption is the norm, not the exception.
Let us call this what it is: a calculated and brutal attempt to destroy a teenager’s life, executed by officers sworn to uphold the law. Quadri’s only “crime” was his moment of courage in 2023 when he jumped in front of Peter Obi’s convoy, an act that earned him admiration and a wave of goodwill donations from Nigerians at home and abroad. But in a nation where success is resented, and decency is punished, his sudden fame became a death sentence waiting to happen.
Hunted by jealous “Area Boys,” kidnapped in broad daylight by community thugs, Quadri was dragged to the Amukoko Police Station, where officers didn’t just look the other way; they became collaborators in a wicked charade. What began as a fabricated accusation of “street fighting” rapidly escalated to armed robbery, with the connivance of law enforcement officers who should be in jail themselves.
Let us pause here: this boy, barely out of childhood, was falsely declared an adult by the police just to ensure he could be flung into a notorious prison with hardened criminals. They lumped him in with four random adults and built a fictional case around him. No evidence. No investigation. No humanity.
Why? Because the Nigerian police do not see citizens—they see prey. The officers at Amukoko Division, led by a DPO who should already be in handcuffs, did not act out of ignorance. They knew exactly what they were doing. The investigation police officer (IPO) and his accomplices perverted justice, abused power, and attempted to steal a boy’s future. The fact that the DPP had to issue legal advice to halt this madness is a damning indictment of a force that only seems to understand brutality and bribery.
This was not an isolated incident. Quadri is one of many. There are thousands of unnamed, unprotected, unseen Nigerians locked up right now – children framed for crimes, men and women brutalised, entire families ruined – because some police officer needed a scapegoat, or a bribe, or a body to pin a case on.
And still, silence from the top. The Inspector General of Police has not issued a statement. The Commissioner of Police in Lagos remains mute. There has been no suspension. No investigation. No remorse. This cannot continue. Quadri deserves not only justice but full reparations.
The N100 million asked by Quadri’s lawyers is a modest demand compared to the trauma he’s endured. But more than that, there must be consequences. The DPO of Amukoko must be fired and prosecuted. The IPO and every officer who handled this case must face the full weight of the law.
Nigeria will not survive if its police force continues to operate as a criminal syndicate. The time for reforms has long passed. What we need now is reckoning. The entire edifice of corruption must be torn down. Because if we do nothing, if we let this fade into silence, there will be more Quadris. And next time, the victim may not be lucky enough to walk free.
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