The police commissioner said that contrary to the claim by the lawyer, the boy was arrested by the Divisional Police Officer of the Amukoko Divisional Headquarters.
The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed the claim that Quadri Alabi, who went viral during campaigns for the 2023 general elections when he stood in front of the convoy of a former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was picked up by hoodlums and handed over to the police.
The Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Moshood, stated this on Tuesday when he appeared on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
Human rights lawyer and counsel for the teenager, Inibehe Effiong, had during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, said the teenager was falsely accused of engaging in a street fight and taken to a police station by some hoodlums.
Effiong had said, “He (Quadri) was just about to get home when they grabbed him. Two of the area boys started taunting him, saying, ‘You’ve been carrying your shoulders for us. Obi gave you money, but you did not come and see us; we’ll deal with you’.
“They took him to the police station; when they took him to the Amukoko Police Station, the initial accusation was that he participated in street fighting. At least, that was what they told the mother.
“The mother even went to confront one of the area boys one-on-one; the area boy admitted to her that they took her son, and that the money she did not want to give us, you’ll go and spend it on the police.”
But the police commissioner said that contrary to the claim by the lawyer, the boy was arrested by the Divisional Police Officer of the Amukoko Divisional Headquarters.
Moshood said, “Every private person has the right to arrest and hand over to the police. In this case, from the entry I’ve inspected, it was the DPO that received a distress call about people damaging public property, attacking people and seizing their phones.
“It was on the basis of that that he (the DPO) made the arrest and it was not only Quadri that was arrested; about five others were arrested at the same time by the DPO.”
No Apology
On the lawyer’s demand for an apology to the boy, the CP said, “Why would I apologise when the process of investigation set up by my department has not been exhausted to give me the report of what transpired?
“The police are doing everything to ensure that every Nigerian stays safe.”
The Magistrates’ Court in Apapa on April 17 freed the minor following the legal advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr Babajide Martins.
The magistrate confirmed that the legal advice issued by the DPP showed that there was no evidence to substantiate the allegation of armed robbery against Quadri.
In his legal advice, the DPP was reported to have recommended the non-prosecution of Quadri and another defendant, one Muiz Animashaun.
Quadri and Animashaun were standing trial alongside three others for the offence of armed robbery.
