A 23-year-old Nigerian student in the United States, Godson Oghenebrume, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison and is expected to be deported after completing his jail term for illegally possessing a firearm and firing multiple gunshots during a confrontation with his former girlfriend.
The sentence was handed down by the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, Shelly Dick, following Oghenebrume’s conviction for possessing a firearm while residing in the country under a non-immigrant F-1 student visa.
The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, Kurt Wall, disclosed in a statement that the Nigerian national would also be removed from the US after serving his prison sentence.
According to prosecutors, Oghenebrume admitted to possessing a Glock 43X 9mm pistol on February 7, 2025, despite restrictions attached to his immigration status.
Investigators said the incident occurred after his former girlfriend, who shares an infant child with him, arrived at his apartment with the baby. Oghenebrume was reportedly inside the residence with another woman when the confrontation began.
Authorities said an argument erupted outside the apartment between the former couple, during which Oghenebrume allegedly fired the weapon while the infant was present.
The dispute reportedly continued after the woman entered the apartment and found him with the other female occupant.
As the argument spilled outside again, Oghenebrume allegedly discharged the firearm several more times as his former girlfriend fled the scene.
Prosecutors said investigators later found multiple bullet holes in the walls of the apartment complex.
The statement further alleged that Oghenebrume damaged his former girlfriend’s mobile phone and briefly took custody of their child during the incident.
The woman eventually sought assistance from the other female occupant in retrieving the baby, and the child was safely recovered before law enforcement officers arrived.
Authorities said deputies from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office attempted to arrest Oghenebrume, but he ignored their commands, walked away and threw the Glock pistol into nearby shrubs before he was apprehended.
A neighbour reportedly told investigators that the gunshots were so loud they left his ears ringing.
During questioning after his arrest, Oghenebrume allegedly told detectives that he fired the gun because he wanted to frighten his former girlfriend into leaving the apartment.
The development comes days after US immigration authorities deported another Nigerian, Ayodeji Ajayi, following multiple criminal convictions, including domestic violence, as part of ongoing immigration enforcement measures.