Lagos socialite and nightclub owner Mike Nwogu, popularly known as Pretty Mike, has announced the reopening of his nightclub, Proxy Lagos, nearly seven months after it was raided by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
In an Instagram video shared on Tuesday, Pretty Mike reflected on the personal and professional upheavals he faced in the aftermath of the raid, which coincided with the death of his father.
“Hello everyone, hope you are doing fine. It’s been a minute since I’ve been on this space. I believe you all know there comes a moment in life when everything should actually just come to a pulse or an end,” he said.
He continued, describing the grief he experienced while burying his father, whom he called his hero, stating,“For me, that moment was burying my father, my hero.
“Beyond the lights, the camera, the grand entrance, I’m still human and that event just broke me in ways that I’m still learning or trying to understand. I came back to Hill to rebuild Proxy Lagos, my dream, my passion, my hustle, my vision.”
Pretty Mike then recounted the devastating impact of the NDLEA raid on himself, his staff, and his clients, “Here’s that I walked into a storm, the raid, a nightmare, an emotional earthquake that shook my team, my family, my partners, my world, my staff, my clients, Lagos as a whole, my name dragged, my brand smeared, doors shut on me.
“But this is what I’ve learned. There is a God. Pain doesn’t define you. Storm doesn’t end you. Setback doesn’t define your destiny.”
He described the reopening as not just a business revival, but a collective comeback for everyone who supported him, “Proxy has been cleared to reopen. Now I need you. Proxy is more than a nightclub. It’s a culture. It’s a vibe. It’s where Lagos comes alive. If you celebrated with us, built with us, believed in us, stood with us, this is the comeback. This is me and you rebuilding our brand.
” This is rising after grief. Let’s take these announcements louder than the silence they have tried to impose. Let’s make this stronger than the pain. Help me put back smile on people’s faces. Proxy Lagos is here.”
In the caption accompanying the video, Pretty Mike reflected on the long period of silence and expressed gratitude to those who supported him during his toughest moments.
“Seven months ago, my world fell apart. From the pain of losing my father to the crushing blow that hit my business, #Proxylagos it’s been a season of heavy silence.
“But I am returning today with a heart full of gratitude. To everyone who checked on me and kept me in your prayers during my lowest moments thank you for not letting me go. I am back, blessed, and rebuilding,” the caption read.
The NDLEA raid, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, October 26, 2025, led to the arrest of over 100 guests, including Pretty Mike and former Big Brother Naija housemate Tuoyo Ideh. According to the agency, cartons of banned substances, including Loud and laughing gas, were recovered from the venue.
In a statement signed by the agency’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA said, “In Lagos, NDLEA operatives in the early hours of Sunday, October 26, raided Proxy Nightclub at 7 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, where a drug party was going on.
“Over 100 suspects, including the owner of the club, Mike Eze Nwalie Nwogu, alias Pretty Mike, were arrested and taken into custody for screening. Cartons of illicit substances, including Loud and laughing gas, were recovered from suspects at the party and the club’s store.”
The raid followed intelligence that flyers had been circulated to promote a “drug party.”
The NDLEA later filed a forfeiture suit against Proxy Lagos. Pretty Mike and the club’s supervisor, Joachim Hillary, were arraigned on charges including conspiracy, unlawful possession, and permitting the use of club premises for illegal drug activities. He was later granted N50 million bail by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
