Businessman and social media influencer Afolabi Michael Kazeem, popularly known as KC Luxury, was brought to the Federal High Court in Lagos in an ambulance while receiving oxygen on Friday as his lawyer sought bail for specialised medical treatment.
Justice Musa Kakaki directed that Kazeem be returned to the hospital after a nurse told the court that his critical condition made it impossible to move him into the courtroom.
The judge subsequently reserved ruling on the bail application until October 28, 2026.
Kazeem is standing trial alongside Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch over alleged trafficking of 184.5kg of cocaine and money laundering.
Nurse confirms KC Luxury’s critical condition
When the case was called, an officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service informed the court that Kazeem was critically ill and had been hospitalised.
The officer said the defendant had been brought to the court premises in an ambulance and called the nurse attending to him.
Bukky Yahaya, a nurse from the Police Hospital in Falomo, Lagos, told Justice Kakaki that Kazeem was receiving oxygen inside the ambulance and could not be moved into the courtroom because of his condition.
Yahaya said Kazeem was admitted to the hospital on October 7, 2026, and diagnosed with asthma and sepsis.
“He is inside the ambulance within the court premises, but we can’t move him here because he is with oxygen,” she said.
Following the testimony, Kazeem’s lawyer, Emefo Etudo, questioned why his client had been brought to court in such a condition.
“If, for instance, the defendant was in the intensive care unit and is like this, why should they bring him to court?” he asked.
Justice Kakaki subsequently directed that Kazeem be returned to the hospital.
Lawyer seeks bail for specialised treatment
After the court’s directive, Etudo proceeded to argue the bail application dated October 16, 2026, seeking his client’s release to receive specialised medical treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
The lawyer told the court that the defence had filed an affidavit of urgency, a 21-paragraph affidavit in support of the application, a written address and relevant exhibits.
He added that the defence filed a reply to the prosecution’s counter-affidavit on October 22.
Etudo argued that Kazeem’s condition had deteriorated, particularly following what he described as the collapse of his lungs, which he said was disclosed by the Police Hospital in Falomo.
According to the lawyer, the Police Hospital transferred Kazeem to LUTH because it lacked the facilities required to manage his condition surgically.
He alleged that Kazeem was subsequently withdrawn from LUTH and taken to a correctional centre on October 13 despite his medical condition.
Etudo further claimed that Kazeem’s condition worsened while he was being transported to the correctional centre, forcing those accompanying him to return him to the Police Hospital, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit.
The lawyer urged the court to grant bail, arguing that his client’s medical condition warranted his release.
NDLEA opposes bail application
Opposing the application, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) prosecution counsel, Abu Ibrahim, told the court that the prosecution had filed an 11-paragraph counter-affidavit sworn to by Ebuka Okwonkwo on October 22.
Ibrahim argued that the defence was raising issues the court had already considered in its October 2 pronouncement on the bail application.
He submitted that the application amounted to an attempt to relitigate an issue that should have been challenged at the Court of Appeal.
The prosecutor also argued that the medical evidence presented by the defence did not sufficiently justify Kazeem’s release.
“They said he was admitted, treated and discharged. We urge your Lordship to dismiss this application,” he said.
While acknowledging that bail was at the court’s discretion, Ibrahim described Kazeem as a flight risk and urged the judge to impose stringent conditions if bail was granted.
Court reserves ruling until October 28
Responding, Etudo urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, insisting that his client’s medical condition spoke for itself.
“The condition of the first defendant speaks for itself. We have heard what the prosecution said. We urge this court to grant this application on liberal terms,” he said.
The lawyer assured the court that Kazeem would attend subsequent proceedings if released, adding that his international passport was already in the custody of the authorities.
After hearing arguments from both parties, Justice Kakaki reserved ruling on the bail application until October 28, 2026.
