Widespread outrage has erupted over the continued detention of 15-year-old Yusuf Alabi, a supporter of Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who has been held at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre since January 2025.
Alabi first gained national attention during the 2023 presidential campaign when a powerful photo of him standing resolutely in front of Peter Obi’s convoy during a rally in Lagos went viral. The image was widely circulated by Obi’s supporters and became a symbol of hope and courage among Nigerian youths.
Reacting to Alabi’s prolonged detention, Peter Obi expressed deep concern via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, urging authorities to uphold justice and the rule of law. He disclosed that he reached out to human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who is now actively working to secure the teenager’s release.
“I call on the Nigeria Police and all relevant authorities to operate within the law and cease the weaponization of innocent citizens, particularly our youths,” Obi wrote.
According to Effiong, who visited Alabi at the Kirikiri facility on Wednesday, the teenager was abducted near his home in January by a group of street boys (popularly known as “area boys”) while returning from work. In a Facebook statement, the lawyer explained that the attackers had previously threatened Alabi over a “share” of the unexpected attention and goodwill he received after the viral photo.
“Since he didn’t ‘settle’ certain individuals, he became a target,” Effiong stated.
Following the abduction, Alabi was taken to the Amukoko Police Station, also known as Pako Police Station, where he was detained. Effiong revealed that the police later arraigned him before a magistrate alongside four strangers, accusing them of conspiracy to commit armed robbery with cutlasses.
The charge sheet claims the group robbed two individuals of four mobile phones and cash totaling N579,000.
Effiong said after spending two hours with Alabi, he was convinced the teenager is innocent and merely a victim of Nigeria’s flawed justice system.
“We left the facility strongly believing Yusuf is yet another casualty of a system that routinely criminalizes the poor and powerless,” he said.
Human rights activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju also weighed in on the case, describing it as a sad reflection of everyday reality in Nigeria.
“This is the daily ordeal of the helpless and the poor in this country,” Adeyanju posted on Facebook.
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