Lagos Court Denies KC Luxury, Two Others Bail Over Alleged 184.5kg Cocaine Shipment

Ayomide  Awe

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, has denied bail to businessman Afolabi Michael Kazeem, popularly known as KC Luxury, and two other defendants standing trial over alleged cocaine trafficking and related offences.

Justice Musa Kakaki rejected the defendants’ bail applications after considering the seriousness of the allegations, the potential punishment upon conviction and the possibility that the accused persons could evade trial if released.

The court also observed that the prevalence of illicit drug trafficking had become a serious menace to society.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had arraigned Kazeem, Boniface Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo on a multi-count charge bordering on alleged cocaine trafficking and other offences.

Kazeem is the principal defendant in the case and is named in 21 of the 22 counts, while Sule and Ekugo are also facing charges arising from the investigation.

All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

The case followed Kazeem’s arrest on August 13 at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, where the NDLEA said he was apprehended while allegedly attempting to travel to Paris, France.

The arrest reportedly followed the seizure of 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine at a DHL facility in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to the prosecution’s allegations, the seized consignment was linked to Kazeem, who allegedly conspired with two other persons, Atandare Oladipupo Oluwarotimi and Latifat Yusuf, to export the narcotic substance.

The two individuals were reportedly arrested in London in connection with the wider investigation.

The prosecution also alleged that the shipment was connected to the use of the pseudonym Yemi Ejide, which it said was used in relation to the consignment attributed to Kazeem.

While opposing the bail applications, the prosecution relied on the seriousness of the allegations and other circumstances of the case.

The court, after considering the applications and the circumstances surrounding the charges, declined to release the defendants on bail.

The development means that the three defendants will remain in custody as the prosecution continues with the case.

The matter has been adjourned until November 2 to November 5, 2026, when further proceedings are expected to take place daily.

The defendants remain presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty by the court.

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