KC Luxury Denies Charges Over N39 Billion Cocaine Haul Bound For London
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arraigned Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury, and two alleged accomplices, Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over the attempted export of 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in five consignments destined for London. The defendants, arraigned before Justice Musa Kakaki on a 22 count charge bordering on cocaine trafficking, unlawful export of narcotic drugs and money laundering, all pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read in court. The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired between July 28 and August 1, 2026, with two others already arrested in London, to export the cocaine through a Lagos based courier logistics firm using consignments shipped under a false name. The charge sheet further alleged that Boniface procured Ikechukwu to facilitate the export, while Afolabi allegedly procured a staff member of the logistics firm to process the consignments and paid N13.2 million as consideration for the shipment. Sixteen additional counts relate to alleged money laundering, with the prosecution accusing Afolabi of moving several billions of naira through various companies to acquire vehicles and landed properties, allegedly to conceal the illicit origin of the funds. Following the not guilty pleas, NDLEA prosecutor Abu Ibrahim opposed the defendants’ bail applications, urging the court to remand them in custody pending trial given the gravity of the alleged offences. Justice Faji ordered that the defendants be remanded in an NDLEA facility and adjourned the matter until October 4, 2026, for a ruling on the bail application. Afolabi was arrested by NDLEA operatives on August 13, 2026, while allegedly attempting to leave Nigeria on a business class flight to Paris from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, following the interception of the cocaine consignment estimated to be worth about N39 billion. A subsequent search of his person and his Banana Island apartment allegedly led to the recovery of exotic vehicles, foreign currency and jewellery suspected to be proceeds of illicit trade, though the allegations remain subject to determination by the court. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed
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