Ex-President's Son Released From US Prison 22 Years After

Musa Jack Ngonadi, the son of former Nigerian president, General Yakubu Gowon, has been released from a California prison after 22 years.


Musa was living in the United States with his mum, late Edith Ike Okongwu, when he was arrested in November 18, 1992 at age 23.

Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Customs Service arrested him for conspiring to import in excess of one kilogram of heroin. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the allegedly smuggling heroin from source countries. Although Jack Musa protested vehemently through his legal team that he was innocent and was framed up, this did not stop him from being sentenced. See another photo after the cut...

However, Musa decided being in prison is not the end of life. He enrolled in one of the universities around and successfully graduated with a degree in Law as a prison inmate. He was also a role model and a legal adviser to all the inmates. He carried himself well and was a source of inspiration to co- inmates who have given up on life. He was rewarded for all his good conducts severally by the prison authorities.

His family however did not relent in efforts at getting him out of the prison. Moves for his release began to grow louder and President Obama heard one of the moves and acted by granting him a parole.  Musa walked out of Taft Correctional Facility Bakersfield California as a free man on November 2 and he is currently at ICE Detention Center Bakersfield CA where he will be deported back to Nigeria any moment from now.

Just recently, General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s former head of state said his experience after governing the country showed that Nigeria is not an easy country to lead.