The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday, ordered the remand of luxury goods dealer and lifestyle influencer Afolabi Kazeem Michael, widely known as KC Luxury, along with two others, over allegations of trafficking and attempting to export 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine worth roughly N39bn.
Michael was arraigned together with Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on a 22-count charge involving conspiracy, cocaine trafficking, illegal export of narcotics and money laundering.
When the counts were read to them, the defendants entered a plea of not guilty to all of them.
The case, numbered FHC/LAG/CR/755/2026, concerns the alleged attempt to export the cocaine to the United Kingdom between July 28 and August 1, 2026.
The NDLEA alleged that the defendants conspired with two other suspects, Atandare Oladipupo Oluwarotimi and Latifat Yusuf, who have been arrested in London, to export the 184.5kg of cocaine.
As stated in the charge, the cocaine was hidden in five consignments sent through a courier logistics company in Lagos under the shipper’s name, Yemi Ejide.
The consignments were said to carry Airway Bill Numbers 2079998314, 8224082370, 2079973571, 7181131742 and 2211893902.
In the first count, the prosecution alleged that the defendants “conspired with the duo of Atandare Oladipupo Oluwarotimi and Latifat Yusuf (both of whom have been arrested in London, the United Kingdom in respect of this case) to export 184.5 Kilograms of Cocaine… and you thereby committed an act which is an offence against and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
The prosecution also alleged that Sule engaged Ekugo to facilitate the export, while Michael was said to have engaged a staff member of BOT Express Logistics, Lagos Island, to process the consignments.
Michael was further accused of unlawfully possessing the cocaine in preparation for its export.
The charge alleged that N13.2m was paid from a Zenith Bank account belonging to Mallamawa Ventures to BOT Express Logistics as payment for shipping the consignments.
Sixteen additional counts against Michael concerned alleged money laundering.
The NDLEA alleged that he moved several billions of naira through various companies and personal accounts, among them Mallamawa Ventures, Fateey Man Multi-Purpose Nigeria Limited, Patonifa Limited, Ade-Lak Resources, Holmestas Global Services Limited and La Capital Enterprises.
The agency further alleged that the funds were used to acquire motor vehicles and landed properties in an effort to conceal proceeds of the alleged illicit trade.
Michael was also accused of failing to declare his assets as required by law.
After the defendants entered their pleas, NDLEA prosecutor Abu Ibrahim opposed their bail applications and asked the court to remand them pending trial, pointing to the gravity of the alleged offences.
The court then ordered that the three defendants be remanded in NDLEA custody and adjourned the case until October 4, 2026, for a ruling on their bail applications.
Michael, who is also known as KayCee Luxury, KayCee Lux, KC, Mr Luxury and Yemi Ejide, was arrested by NDLEA operatives on August 13, 2026, while allegedly trying to leave Nigeria on a business-class flight to Paris from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
His arrest came after authorities intercepted the 184.5kg cocaine shipment that was reportedly bound for London.
A later search of him and his Banana Island apartment is said to have uncovered exotic vehicles, foreign currencies and jewellery, which the agency described as suspected proceeds of illicit drug trafficking.
The alleged offences listed in the cocaine trafficking counts are punishable under Section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act.
