A Nigerian family has alleged that a relative who disappeared as a teenager in 2007 was recently discovered in a correctional facility in Rivers State after spending nearly 18 years in custody.

The claims were shared in a social media post by NaijaWorld Media, which identified the man as Gospel Uabari Kinanee.

According to the account, Kinanee was 14 years old when he reportedly left home to play football with friends in 2007 and never returned.

The post claimed that his disappearance triggered an extensive search by family members, who reportedly visited hospitals, police stations and mortuaries across Rivers State in an effort to locate him.

Despite years of searching, the family was unable to find him and eventually presumed him missing, the report said.

According to the social media account, the family’s search took a significant emotional and financial toll, with relatives allegedly selling property and exhausting resources in their efforts to trace the teenager’s whereabouts.

The post further claimed that both of Kinanee’s parents died before learning what had happened to their son.

The family’s ordeal reportedly took a dramatic turn in 2025 when Kinanee’s elder brother allegedly received information that he had been located in a correctional facility in Rivers State.

According to the account, family members who traced him to the facility were unable to obtain details regarding the circumstances of his detention.

The post alleged that there were no available records explaining why he was arrested, charged or detained.

It further claimed that the prolonged detention had severely affected Kinanee’s mental health and memory, leaving him unable to clearly explain how he ended up in custody.

The allegations have sparked concern on social media, with many Nigerians calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the case and the treatment of detainees within the country’s justice system.

As of the time of filing this report, authorities had not publicly responded to the claims, while the details surrounding Kinanee’s alleged detention could not be independently verified.

The development has renewed conversations about pre-trial detention, record-keeping within the criminal justice system and the need for accountability where allegations of prolonged unlawful detention arise.