According to a report by the Punch on Saturday, May 30, 2026, the family of Gospel Kinanee has recounted the painful transformation of their brother after his mysterious disappearance and eventual discovery in a Port Harcourt correctional facility nearly two decades later.
His elder brother narrated that the family had searched desperately for Gospel after he vanished as a teenager, holding on to hope for years before eventually believing he was dead. Their search, he said, stretched across several communities, police stations, hospitals, and prison facilities, leaving the family emotionally and financially devastated.
He explained that after his eventual release, the family was shocked by his condition, describing how the once healthy and energetic teenager had become mentally unstable. Recalling the trauma, he said, “when he got to prison as a little child of 14 years, we did not know what they did to him. He has now become mentally ill.”
According to him, the discovery came in early 2025 when he was contacted by lawyers who had identified Gospel during a prison welfare and inmate rehabilitation exercise at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.
He said the family initially doubted the claim, having already accepted the possibility that Gospel was no longer alive. However, upon arriving at the facility, he recognised his brother immediately, though Gospel could no longer identify him or properly respond to questions.
The family revealed that despite undergoing extensive medical tests after his release, doctors found no major physical ailments apart from his deteriorated mental state. He is currently receiving treatment while living under close supervision.
The brother lamented the impact of Gospel’s disappearance on the family, saying their parents died the same year he went missing due to the emotional distress of searching endlessly for him. He added that their father sold valuable property, including farmland, to fund efforts to locate him.
He also expressed frustration that correctional authorities could not provide any record or explanation for Gospel’s incarceration, noting that no case file was available when the family requested details.