KC Luxury Seeks Freedom, N190m Damages As Court Orders NDLEA To Produce Him

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to produce detained social media influencer and businessman Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury, in court after he allegedly spent 14 days in the agency’s custody without being formally charged.

The order was made on Thursday, August 27, 2026, by Justice Friday Ogazi, following an ex parte application filed by Afolabi through his lawyer, A. Labi-Lawal, SAN, under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009.

Justice Ogazi also directed the NDLEA to respond within five days of being served with the application and explain why Afolabi should not be released or granted bail.

Afolabi was allegedly arrested by NDLEA operatives on August 13, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while preparing to travel to Paris.

In the supporting affidavit, Afolabi’s father, Eric Afolabi, alleged that his son had remained in NDLEA custody since the arrest without being informed of the offence for which he was being held or brought before a competent court.

The judge directed that the NDLEA be served with the ex parte motion, enrolled order and other accompanying court processes within four working days. The agency was further ordered to produce Afolabi in court on the next adjourned date.

The matter has been adjourned until September 9, 2026, for hearing of the substantive application challenging the legality of his continued detention.

In the main suit, Afolabi is asking the court to declare his continued detention without a formal charge unconstitutional and a violation of his fundamental rights under the 1999 Constitution. He is seeking his immediate release or, alternatively, bail on liberal terms pending the filing of any criminal charge.

Afolabi also alleged that NDLEA operatives searched his residence at Movamo Court, Banana Island, Lagos, after his arrest without showing him or his family members a search warrant. He claimed the entire premises was searched but nothing incriminating was recovered.

He further alleged that the operatives seized his iPhone 15 and demanded its password while allegedly threatening him with bodily harm. According to him, the phone contained private information belonging to him and his wife, but no narcotics, drug-related transactions, communications or other evidence linking him to an offence was discovered.

The businessman also accused the agency of taking and circulating photographs and videos of him while in custody, claiming that the materials portrayed him as a criminal before trial or conviction. He argued that this amounted to an infringement of his rights to dignity and privacy and exposed him to embarrassment and public ridicule.

Afolabi is consequently demanding N100 million in damages over the alleged taking and circulation of his photographs and videos. He is seeking an additional N50 million over the alleged unlawful arrest and detention and N40 million for the alleged invasion of his home and telephone privacy.

He is also asking the court to order the NDLEA to return property allegedly seized from him. The items listed in his application include €8,000, £3,000, a blue-strap Patek Philippe Nautilus wristwatch, an Audemars Piguet wristwatch 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.

Afolabi maintained that the listed assets were not acquired from proceeds of narcotics or any other criminal activity.

He also raised concerns about his health, alleging that he suffers from acute and severe asthma and requires urgent treatment and proper medical management, which he claims the facility where he is being held cannot adequately provide.

In seeking bail, Afolabi told the court that he has a permanent address in Lagos, strong family and business connections in Nigeria and is prepared to surrender his international passport and comply with any conditions imposed by the court.

The NDLEA, however, has linked his arrest to an investigation involving the interception of 184.50 kilogrammes of cocaine allegedly connected to an international drug trafficking network.

The agency alleged that the network used Nigeria as a transit point for cocaine shipments destined for the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. It further said the investigation resulted in the seizure of foreign currencies and luxury items and led to searches connected with the suspect.

The allegations by the NDLEA have not been determined by the court, while Afolabi is challenging the legality of his detention and the manner in which he says he was treated following his arrest.

Justice Ogazi’s latest ruling does not determine whether Afolabi committed any of the offences alleged by the NDLEA. The court has only ordered the agency to respond to the fundamental rights application and produce him for the next stage of the proceedings.

The substantive hearing on Afolabi’s detention, bail request, alleged rights violations, damages claims and request for the return of his property is scheduled for September 9, 2026.