Man freed after unlawful detention for 18 years in Rivers prison

By Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho –

Gospel Uebari Kinanee, a 32-year-old man detained without charge since the age of 14, has finally regained his freedom after 18 years of unlawful incarceration. His release was ordered by the Chief Judge of Rivers State on Wednesday, July 17, 2025, bringing an end to a shocking case of undocumented imprisonment.

Kinanee was discovered in September 2024 by volunteers from the Haven360 Foundation during a routine outreach visit to a correctional facility. Described as withdrawn and barely communicative, his case alarmed the team, who found no records—no charge, file, or court proceedings—documenting his imprisonment.

Further investigation revealed that Kinanee had gone missing in 2007 after sleeping outside his family home in Ogoni, Rivers State. According to limited recollections he shared in his native language, he was arrested by policemen allegedly influenced by a neighbor following a dispute he still does not understand. His next memory was waking up in prison.

Kinanee’s family had reported him missing and searched for years before giving up hope and assuming he had died. Their shock was palpable when Haven360 traced them earlier this week to deliver the news that Gospel was alive.

His emotional reunion with family took place just hours before his official discharge. The Chief Judge stated that no criminal charge was ever filed against Kinanee, calling his case “a profound failure of our justice system.”

“He walked into prison as a child and emerged a man—without ever seeing a courtroom,” the judge said. Human rights groups have since condemned the case, calling for immediate reforms to prevent similar injustices in Nigeria’s penal system.

The Haven360 Foundation has offered financial and psychological support to help Gospel reintegrate into society. The organization said it is committed to securing long-term care for him as he recovers from years of trauma and institutional neglect.

Kinanee’s release has sparked national outrage and renewed calls for better oversight of correctional facilities, particularly regarding undocumented and long-term detentions. For Gospel, the nightmare is finally over—and a long-overdue journey toward healing has begun.