Nigerian sprinter Godson Brume has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison in the United States after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm while in the country on a student visa.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Upon completing his prison term, the 23-year-old will also be subject to removal or deportation proceedings from the United States.
The sentencing comes months after Bold Sports reported that Godson Brume had pleaded guilty to the federal firearm charge, an offence that initially carried a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, Oghenebrume admitted possessing a Glock 43X 9mm pistol on February 7, 2025, while he was in the United States on an F-1 student visa, a violation of U.S. federal law.
More Read
The charge stemmed from an incident at Godson Brume’s apartment in Baton Rouge on the night of February 7, 2025.
According to court documents, an argument broke out after the mother of his infant child arrived at the apartment while Oghenebrume was with another woman.
Prosecutors said the dispute escalated outside the apartment, where Oghenebrume discharged the firearm while the child was present.
Investigators said a second confrontation later erupted after the child’s mother entered the apartment. The argument spilled back outside, where Oghenebrume allegedly fired additional shots as she fled the scene. Authorities reported finding multiple bullet strikes in the walls of the apartment complex.
Court records further stated that Oghenebrume smashed the woman’s mobile phone and took custody of the child before another woman who had been inside the apartment intervened and returned the baby to its mother.
When deputies from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office arrived, prosecutors said Oghenebrume ignored commands to stop, attempted to walk away and discarded the Glock pistol into nearby shrubs before he was detained.
During a post-Miranda interview, investigators said Godson Brume admitted firing the weapon, telling detectives he intended to scare his former girlfriend into leaving the area.
The conviction marks a dramatic fall for an athlete once regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest sprint prospects.
Oghenebrume burst onto the athletics scene after winning the men’s 100m title at the 2022 National Sports Festival in Asaba before earning a scholarship to Louisiana State University, where he established himself among the fastest collegiate sprinters in the United States.
He ran a personal best of 9.90 seconds in the 100m, won silver in the 100m at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships and helped LSU set a then-collegiate record of 37.90 seconds in the men’s 4x100m relay.
On the international stage, Godson Brume represented Nigeria at several competitions and was part of the men’s 4x100m relay team that won silver at the 2024 African Championships in Douala, Cameroon.
He was also named in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games before an injury ruled him out of the final team.
After serving his 27-month sentence, he is expected to be transferred to U.S. immigration authorities for removal proceedings, a development that could further complicate any hopes of returning to elite competition.
