There is growing outrage over the case of 15-year-old Yusuf Alabi, a supporter of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who has been held at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre since January this year.

Alabi gained national attention in 2023 after a viral photo showed him standing in front of Obi’s convoy during a rally in Lagos. The image became a symbol of hope for Nigerian youth, with many supporters rallying behind him.

Peter Obi, shocked by the boy’s detention, expressed his concern on social media, urging authorities to respect the rule of law. He also revealed that he had contacted lawyer Inibehe Effiong, who has been working hard to secure Alabi’s release.

Obi called on the police and government officials to operate within the law, warning against using citizens, particularly the youth, as political tools.

Effiong visited the facility where Alabi is being held and shared his findings on Facebook. After interviewing Alabi, the lawyer explained that the boy was abducted by local “area boys” in January while returning from work.

The area boys had been threatening him for not sharing the money he received after the viral photo with Obi. Effiong revealed that after the abduction, Alabi was taken to Amukoko Police Station, where he was falsely charged with armed robbery alongside four strangers.

Effiong found the charges suspicious, noting that Alabi had been wrongly accused of robbing two victims of N579,000 in cash and phones. After his investigation, Effiong concluded that Alabi is another victim of Nigeria’s flawed criminal justice system.

Activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju also reacted, mentioning how such injustices are part of the daily struggles faced by the country’s poor and helpless citizens.