The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim preservation of a hotel, five landed properties, three luxury vehicles and funds in several bank accounts linked to businessman and social media influencer Afolabi Kazeem, popularly known as KC Luxury.
Justice Musa Kakaki granted the order on September 25 following an ex-parte application by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in connection with an alleged cocaine trafficking and money laundering case against Kazeem and two others.
Among the assets covered are Next Level Hotel & Suites in Egbeda, Lagos, a Tesla Cybertruck, a Toyota Lexus RX 350 and a 2025 Toyota Hilux.
The court also ordered the preservation of N1.09m in an FCMB account belonging to Rabiu Kabiru Lawal and N59.26m in the Zenith Bank account of Mallamawa Ventures.
The order further covers funds in an FCMB corporate account belonging to Next Level Records & Logistics Solution Limited and a First Bank account linked to Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule, one of the defendants.
The matter has been adjourned until October 14 for a report on compliance with the preservation order.
The development comes amid an ongoing 22-count charge against Kazeem, Sule and Ikechukwu Patriarch over alleged conspiracy, cocaine trafficking and money laundering. The three defendants have pleaded not guilty.
The NDLEA alleges that the defendants were involved in a plot to export 184.5kg of cocaine concealed in five consignments to the United Kingdom. Two other suspects, Atandare Oladipupo Oluwarotimi and Latifat Yusuf, were arrested in London in connection with the case, according to the agency.
The anti-narcotics agency estimated the intercepted cocaine consignment to be worth about N39bn.
It further alleged that Kazeem paid N13.2m from a Mallamawa Ventures account to a logistics company for processing the shipment and channelled billions of naira through several companies and personal accounts.
According to the NDLEA, some of the funds were used to acquire vehicles and landed properties in an attempt to conceal proceeds allegedly generated from illicit activities.
The agency also accused Kazeem of failing to declare his assets as required by law.
Kazeem was arrested on August 13 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while allegedly attempting to travel to Paris on a business-class flight, the NDLEA said.
The agency said a search of his Banana Island apartment subsequently led to the recovery of exotic vehicles, foreign currency and jewellery allegedly linked to the proceeds of the suspected drug trade.
The court had earlier refused bail applications filed by Kazeem and his co-defendants, citing the gravity of the alleged offences, the punishment prescribed by law and the possibility of the defendants jumping bail.
Justice Kakaki also ordered an accelerated trial, fixing November 2, 3, 4 and 5 for hearing.
The latest preservation order remains an interim measure and does not amount to a final forfeiture or a finding that the assets are proceeds of crime.
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