A Nigerian man, Gospel Uebari Kinanee, who was arrested at the age of 14, has been released after spending 18 years in prison without trial, charge, or any official record of his detention.

Kinanee’s case came to light in September 2024 when the Haven360 Foundation, a humanitarian group advocating for justice and prison reform, discovered his plight during an outreach visit to a correctional facility in Rivers State.

The Foundation's team was alarmed to find that Kinanee had no case file, court record, or arrest documentation, despite nearly two decades of incarceration. Kinanee reportedly could not recall any crime he was accused of but remembered being arrested following an alleged dispute involving a powerful neighbour in his hometown of Ogoni, Rivers State, back in 2007.

After months of advocacy, investigations, and legal petitions by Haven360, the Chief Judge of Rivers State officially discharged Kinanee on July 17, 2025, confirming that no formal charges were ever filed against him.

“We found no traceable documentation for his arrest or detention. This is a grave miscarriage of justice,” the Haven360 Foundation stated in a press release.

Kinanee’s family, who had given up hope after years of fruitless searches, expressed joy and disbelief upon hearing he was alive. The Foundation has since reunited him with his family and pledged to provide psychological counselling, medical care, and financial support to aid his reintegration.

Kinanee, now in his early 30s, faces a challenging road to recovery after nearly two decades of wrongful imprisonment, but he has expressed gratitude to the Foundation and all who advocated for his freedom.

This case adds to growing concerns about illegal detentions, prison congestion, and systemic failures within Nigeria's criminal justice system. Rights groups have renewed calls for urgent reforms to prevent similar injustices.