A 23-year-old Nigerian student in the United States, Godson Oghenebrume, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison and is set to be deported after admitting to illegally possessing a firearm and discharging multiple shots during a confrontation with his ex-girlfriend.
The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, Kurt Wall, confirmed the development in a statement obtained on Wednesday.
According to Wall, Oghenebrume was sentenced by U.S. Chief Judge Shelly Dick after being convicted of possession of a firearm by an alien admitted into the United States on a non-immigrant visa. He added that the defendant will also face removal or deportation after completing his prison term.
Court records showed that Oghenebrume admitted to possessing a Glock 43X 9mm pistol on February 7, 2025, while in the U.S. on an F-1 student visa.
Details from the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed that the incident occurred when his ex-girlfriend, who is also the mother of his infant child, arrived at his apartment with their baby while he was inside with another woman.
According to the statement, Oghenebrume stepped outside the apartment, where an argument broke out between him and the child’s mother.
“During this argument, and while the baby was present, Oghenebrume discharged the firearm,” the statement said.
Authorities said he later returned inside, but the confrontation continued when his ex-girlfriend discovered him with another woman. The dispute then escalated outside the apartment.
“It spilled out of the apartment, and Oghenebrume discharged the firearm more times as the mother of his child fled. Multiple bullet strikes were observed in the walls of the apartment complex,” the statement added.
Investigators further alleged that he damaged his ex-girlfriend’s phone and took the infant, who had been present throughout the incident.
Prosecutors also stated that he attempted to evade arrest when officers from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene.
According to the report, the child’s mother was later assisted by the other woman present in the apartment, who helped retrieve the baby from Oghenebrume.
“When East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the apartment complex, Oghenebrume walked away from them, ignored their commands, and discarded the Glock 43X pistol into some shrubs before being detained shortly after,” the statement said.
A neighbour reportedly told investigators that gunshots were heard during the incident and that his ears were still ringing afterward.
During questioning, detectives asked Oghenebrume why he fired the weapon. He reportedly said he only wanted his ex-girlfriend to leave and that he fired the shots to scare her away.
The case adds to recent immigration enforcement actions involving Nigerians in the United States. Barely a week ago, Nigerian national Ayodeji Ajayi was deported after multiple criminal convictions, including domestic violence, as part of ongoing U.S. immigration crackdowns.
ADEOLA KUNLE
No comments:
Post a Comment