Justice Friday Ogazi of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to bring Lagos social media influencer and businessman Kazeem Afolabi, known as “KC Luxury,” to court. This follows his alleged 14-day detention without any formal charge.
The order was given on Thursday after an ex parte application was filed by Afolabi through his lawyer, A. Labi-Lawal, SAN, according to the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009.
The court also told the NDLEA to respond within five days to the application that questions Afolabi’s continued detention and to explain why he should not be released or granted bail.
Afolabi was reportedly arrested by NDLEA officers on August 13, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while he was about to travel to Paris.
His father, Eric Afolabi, who provided an affidavit to support the application, claimed that his son has been kept in NDLEA custody since his arrest. He said Afolabi was not informed of the reasons for his arrest or charged before a court.
After hearing the ex-parte application, Justice Ogazi instructed the applicant to serve the NDLEA with the motion, enrolled order, and other necessary documents within four working days.
The judge also directed the agency to file its response within five days of receiving the documents and to bring Afolabi to court on the next date set for the hearing.
The case was adjourned to September 9, 2026, for further hearing.
In his main application, Afolabi is asking the court to declare that his continued detention without a formal charge is unconstitutional. He believes this violates his fundamental rights under the 1999 Constitution.
He is also seeking an order to have the NDLEA release him immediately or, alternatively, to grant him bail on reasonable terms while waiting for any charges against him.
Afolabi claims that NDLEA officers arrested and detained him after stopping him at the airport.
He also said that after his arrest, the agency searched his house at Movamo Court, Banana Island, Lagos, without showing him or his family a search warrant.
According to the affidavit, the officers searched the house but found nothing incriminating.
Afolabi further alleged that the officers took his iPhone 15 and demanded the password, threatening him with harm if he did not comply.
He stated that the phone held private information for him and his wife, and that the search showed no drugs, drug-related transactions, or any other material linking him to any crime.
The applicant also claimed that the NDLEA took and shared photos and videos of him while in custody, making him look like a criminal despite not being convicted.
He argued that this publication violated his rights to dignity and privacy and caused him embarrassment and humiliation.
As a result, he is seeking N100 million for damages over the alleged unauthorized taking and sharing of his photos and videos.
He is also asking for N50 million for unlawful arrest and detention and N40 million for invasion of his home and phone privacy.
Afolabi wants the court to order the NDLEA to return his seized properties.
The items he listed include €8,000, £3,000, a blue-strap Patek Philippe Nautilus watch, an Audemars Piguet watch with three bangles, a Hermès handbag, a Hermès Birkin travel bag, a Louis Vuitton travel box, an iPhone 15, a Lexus RX350, and a 2024 Toyota Hilux.
He insisted that none of these items were bought with money from drugs or any other crime.
The applicant also expressed worries about his health, saying he suffers from severe asthma that needs urgent care, which he claims the detention facility cannot provide.
He informed the court that he has a permanent home in Lagos, strong family and business connections in Nigeria, and is ready to hand over his international passport and follow any bail conditions set by the court.
The NDLEA, in its court documents, linked Afolabi’s arrest to an investigation related to the seizure of 184.50 kg of cocaine thought to be part of an international drug trafficking network.
The agency claims this network used Nigeria as a transit point for cocaine shipments headed to the UK, Europe, and Asia.
They also said that the investigation led to the seizure of foreign currencies and luxury items, which prompted the searches related to Afolabi.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇