Quadri: Nigeria Police Is Far From Redemption – Effiong Inibehe

Nigerian lawyer, Effiong Inibehe, the counsel to Quadri Alabi, who was acquitted of the armed robbery case, has slammed the Lagos State Police Command for their statement on the teenager.

Naijaonpoint reported that the Lagos Police Command, in a statement, alleged that Quadri was identified by members of his community as a suspect in an alleged robbery case.

Inibehe said Lagos Police Command’s statement was false, provocative, and lacked remorse. In a statement on Saturday, he dismissed all claims of the Police.

He further disclosed that the supporter of the former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was detained in a cell for one week before being taken to court.

He added that the statement from the Lagos Police Command showed the Nigerian Police could be far from redemption.

It read: “Our attention has been drawn to a false and provocative statement issued by the Lagos State Police Command in which the Command unsuccessfully attempted to mislead the public on the fabricated case they initiated against Quadri Alabi.

“The statement is not only laughable, it is ridiculous. It is embarrassing to see the police spread disinformation and fake news about an innocent Nigerian child.

“In its statement, the police claimed that Quadri was arrested in connection with street fighting.

“They also claimed that some properties were damaged, and that some persons were also robbed. According to the police, Quadri was identified by some people in the community and by the victims.

“First, we wish to restate that Quadri is not 18 years old as mischievously parroted by the police. He is 17 as contained in his birth certificate and attested to by his mother.

“He was born on the 29th day of September, 2007.

“Second, Quadri was not involved in street fighting and did not rob anyone, he also did not damage anyone’s property.

“Third, there was no time that our client was identified by any victim of the alleged crimes. The police should tell the public when and where the identification was done and the method used.

“How was Quadri identified by the alleged victims when no identification parade was conducted as required by law, given that the alleged offences were said to have been committed at about 10pm?

“Fourth, the police in their statement said that our client was arrested, but they failed to state who exactly arrested him and the place he was arrested. Their silence on these key points is quite revealing.

“Sixth, the so-called casemates of Quadri are adults who are not known to him. The police failed to disclose the relationship or connection between Quadri and the four adults who were remanded along with him.

“We should also state for the records that the police had detained Quadri for about a week in the police cell before unlawfully taking him before a Magistrate for remand.

“It is the law that once the permissible constitutional limit for detaining a suspect has passed, a subsequent order of remand cannot cure the infringement.

“It is preposterous that despite the Legal Advice issued by the Learned Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lagos State exonerating Quadri, and his subsequent discharge by the Court, the Lagos State Police Command rather than exude remorse, has chosen the ignoble path of doubling down on its acts of perfidy, shamelessness, lawlessness, and utter contempt for justice and the truth.

“We condemn this gross act of recklessness and irresponsibility by the police.

“By taking this path, the Nigeria Police Force is reminding the country that it is very far from redemption.

“We shall meet the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, the DPO of Amukoko CSP Olaniran Ismaila O., the IPO Inspector Odigbe Samuel, and others in the court in the coming days to seek redress and adequate compensation for Quadri.

“We will also file a formal complaint with the Police Service Commission against the lawless DPO of Amukoko.”