Justice Friday Ogazi of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to produce social media influencer and businessman, Kazeem Afolabi, popularly known as “KC Luxury”, before the court.
According to The Punch, the order followed an ex parte application filed by Afolabi through his lawyer, A. Labi-Lawal, SAN, under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009.
Afolabi is challenging his continued detention by the NDLEA, which he alleged had lasted for 14 days without any formal charge being brought against him.
The court also directed the anti-narcotics agency to respond to the application within five days and explain why the applicant should not be released or granted bail.
According to the court proceedings, Afolabi was allegedly arrested by NDLEA operatives on August 13, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while preparing to travel to Paris.
His father, Eric Afolabi, who swore to the affidavit supporting the application, alleged that his son had remained in NDLEA custody since his arrest without being informed of the offence for which he was detained or being taken before a court of competent jurisdiction.
After hearing the ex parte application, Justice Ogazi ordered that the NDLEA be served with the motion, enrolled order and other relevant court processes within four working days.
The judge further directed the agency to file its response within five days of receiving the documents and produce Afolabi in court on the next adjourned date for the hearing of the substantive application.
The case was adjourned until September 9, 2026.
In his substantive application, 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 also seeking an order compelling the NDLEA to release him immediately or, alternatively, grant him bail on liberal terms pending the filing of any criminal charge.
Afolabi alleged that NDLEA operatives arrested him at the airport and subsequently searched his residence at Movamo Court, Banana Island, Lagos.
He claimed that the operatives did not show him or his family members any search warrant before carrying out the search, adding that nothing incriminating was recovered from the premises.
The businessman further alleged that the operatives seized his iPhone 15 and demanded its password, allegedly threatening him with bodily harm if he refused to provide it.
He maintained that the device contained private information belonging to him and his wife and that its contents allegedly revealed no narcotics, drug-related transactions, communications or other evidence linking him to any offence.
Afolabi also accused the agency of taking and circulating photographs and videos of him while in custody, allegedly portraying him as a criminal despite the absence of a conviction.
He argued that the alleged publication violated his constitutional rights to dignity and privacy and exposed him to ridicule, embarrassment and humiliation.
As a result, he is demanding N100m in damages over the alleged taking and circulation of his photographs and videos.
He is also seeking N50m for alleged unlawful arrest and detention and another N40m for the alleged invasion of his home and telephone privacy.
The applicant is further asking the court to order the NDLEA to return properties allegedly seized from him.
Among the items listed in the application are €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 none of the properties was purchased with proceeds from 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 management which, according to him, the detention facility has been unable to adequately provide.
The applicant told the court that he has a permanent address in Lagos, strong family and business ties in Nigeria and is willing to surrender his international passport and comply with any bail conditions imposed by the court.
However, the NDLEA linked his arrest to an ongoing investigation into the interception of 184.50kg of cocaine allegedly connected to an international drug trafficking network.
The agency alleged that the network used Nigeria as a transit route for cocaine shipments destined for the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia.
According to the NDLEA, the investigation also led to the seizure of foreign currencies and luxury items and prompted searches associated with the applicant.
The allegations against Afolabi remain subject to determination by the court.
