…over ‘184.5kg cocaine trafficking’
A federal high court in Lagos has dismissed an application filed by Afolabi Kazeem Michael, the socialite popularly known as KC Luxury, challenging an order extending his detention for 30 days over his alleged involvement in trafficking 184.5kg of cocaine.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Akintayo Aluko, the presiding judge, held that the detention extension order granted on August 20, 2026, was validly made and supported by the Constitution and relevant drug-control laws.
KC Luxury, through his counsel, Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, had asked the court to set aside the August 20 order.
The lawyer argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to extend KC Luxury’s detention, contending that remand orders could only be issued by a magistrate’s court under sections 293 to 299 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
Labi-Lawal also argued that the detention amounted to an unlawful infringement of KC Luxury’s constitutional right to personal liberty.
However, Abu Ibrahim, counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), asked the court to dismiss the application.
Ibrahim argued that the order made on August 20 was not a remand order under the ACJA, but an extension of detention granted to allow NDLEA to conduct further investigations into the alleged drug trafficking offence.
In dismissing the application, the judge held that sections 293 to 299 of the ACJA, which govern remand proceedings, did not apply to the case.
The judge also held that the federal high court has exclusive jurisdiction over drug-related offences pursuant to section 251(1)(m) of the Constitution and section 26(1) of the NDLEA Act.
The court further found that the evidence presented by the NDLEA established reasonable suspicion that KC Luxury had committed a drug-related offence.
Aluko held that the temporary deprivation of liberty was therefore permissible under section 35 of the Constitution.
The judge consequently dismissed Kazeem’s application, describing it as an abuse of court process and lacking in merit.
Background
KC Luxury was arrested by NDLEA operatives on August 13 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while he was preparing to travel to Paris, France.
The agency allegedly linked him to the seizure of 184.5kg of cocaine and described the operation as the largest cocaine bust from a courier company in its history.
According to Buba Marwa, the NDLEA chairman, KC Luxury was allegedly carrying €7,750, £2,800, N100,000 and expensive jewellery.
The NDLEA said operatives apprehended him alongside Lawal Kehinde, an employee of a logistics company allegedly connected to the consignment.
On August 20, 2026, Aluko granted the NDLEA an order extending KC Luxury’s detention for 30 days.
Aluko granted the order following an application by the NDLEA seeking an extension of the detention to allow the agency conduct further investigations into his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
