Father, Mother Died Over Agony of Missing Son
- Safiu Kehinde
A man kept in prison for 18 years without family’s knowledge has regained his freedom in Rivers State.
Gospel Kinanee, an Ogoni indigene, was reportedly arrested in 2007 when he was 14 and left in the state’s maximum prison for 18 years without any legal representation or formal trial.
His lengthy remand in prison tragically led to the demise of his father and mother who died over the agony of their missing son.
Recounting Gospel’s ordeal in an interview with Arise TV, his elder brother, Paul Kinanee, narrated how the man went missing after leaving home one night without returning.
Efforts to find him proved abortive with Paul recounting visiting the same correctional centre, where he was remanded, twice in search for Gospel.
“We didn’t see him, even at dawn the following day. Even this correctional centre, we went there almost two times.” Paul said.
He disclosed that the agony of his missing brother led to the death of their parents.
“Our mother was the first to die thinking about him. Then our father also died.” He said.
Gospel’s road to freedom began after a lawyer during a recent visit to the state maximum prison spotted someone who looked like Gospel in the facility.
The lawyer, on his next visit to the prison, brought Paul along who was able to identify a now 32-year-old Gospel.
“We didn’t see him, even at dawn the following day. Even this correctional centre, we went there almost two times.
“When I got there, I saw my brother outside. If you look at him, he was not like human being again. I started crying.” Paul said.
Gospel was eventually freed alongside 20 other inmates when the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, flagged off the Rivers State Jail Delivery Exercise in October 2025.
Unfortunately, his mental health has been severely affected by the trauma he experienced since he was arrested.
The correctional centre was reported to have renamed him during his time in custody as he was identified in their records as Baridi Sunday.
His family is now demanding justice for his wrongful detention and his current state of health.
“I need justice because a young man cannot just be taken away without no information, no case file, nothing about him.
“They dropped him in the prison yard for 18 years. Now he comes back home worthless. No! There must be justice.” Paul, his elder brother, said.
According to report, the family had since dragged the Federal Government, the Rivers State government, and the Ministry of Interior to court over Gospel’s ordeal.