The Apapa Magistrate Court has discharged and acquitted Alabi Quadri, who rose to prominence during the 2023 general elections after confronting the campaign convoy of then-Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
In a ruling delivered at Court 9, Sikiru Adagun Courthouse in Orege, Ajegunle, the court determined on Thursday that Quadri had no case to answer regarding charges of conspiracy to commit felony and armed robbery.
Quadri had spent several months in detention at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
He was brought to court on April 17, 2025, under tight security. Although the hearing was originally scheduled for April 28, it was advanced following a joint request from human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), a request which the court granted.
In 2023, Quadri became well-known after he was photographed standing in front of Peter Obi’s campaign convoy, which garnered him significant admiration.
However, his increased public profile reportedly resulted in envy and resentment within his local community. His lawyer stated that Quadri’s arrest and detention were not due to any criminal activities but were rooted in vendettas carried out by “area boys” who felt entitled to partake in the financial and social goodwill that accompanied his newfound popularity.
