Two serving personnel of the Nigerian Army have been arrested over their alleged involvement in an unauthorised deployment during the glamorous wedding ceremony of popular Nigerian content creator Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, and fellow TikTok personality Jarvis.

The soldiers were apprehended following intelligence reports linking them to security duties carried out at the celebrity wedding held in Lekki, Lagos State, over the weekend. The arrests were made on Tuesday as military authorities launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding their presence at the private event.

The development has generated widespread attention after videos from the high-profile ceremony surfaced online, showing uniformed military personnel providing security around some of the event’s celebrity guests.

The footage sparked criticism from Nigerians who questioned the appropriateness of military officers being deployed to a private social gathering involving influencers and entertainers.

Soldiers identified

The arrested personnel were identified as 23NA/85/10007 Private Onasanya Ifeoluwa of the 81 Division Medical Services and Hospital (81DMSH) and 23NA/85/7885 Private Ukpai Onyinyechi, who is also attached to the 81DMSH in Obalende, Lagos.

According to a military source, the arrests followed credible intelligence indicating that the soldiers participated in what was described as an illegal deployment during the celebrity wedding.

“Following credible intelligence on the involvement of Nigerian Army personnel in illegal deployment during a popular social influencer’s wedding known as Peller at Lekki, Lagos, the Group arrested 23NA/85/10007 PTE Onasanya Ifeoluwa of 81 Division Medical Services and Hospital (81DMSH) and 23NA/85/7885 PTE Ukpai Onyinyechi of 81DMSH at Obalende this morning.

“Preliminary investigation is ongoing to establish the extent of their involvement and identify other personnel connected with the incident. Further details will be forwarded as the investigation unfolds,” the source said.

Viral wedding videos trigger outrage

Peller and Jarvis’ wedding attracted a large number of entertainers, content creators, social media influencers and fans, making it one of the most talked-about celebrity events of the weekend. Videos from the colourful ceremony quickly dominated social media platforms.

However, the celebration soon became the subject of controversy after clips emerged showing men dressed in Nigerian Army uniforms controlling access to sections of the venue and escorting some of the guests.

One of the videos that drew significant public attention allegedly showed a soldier acting as a bouncer for TikTok personality Ivanna while escorting her through a crowd of guests. The footage triggered criticism, with many Nigerians questioning why serving military personnel were seen performing security duties at a private event.

Army restates policy

The Nigerian Army has repeatedly maintained that serving personnel are prohibited from undertaking unauthorised private security duties or participating in illegal deployments without official approval.

Military regulations require soldiers to obtain proper authorisation before taking part in any assignment outside their official responsibilities. Unauthorised deployments are regarded as breaches of military discipline and are subject to investigation and possible sanctions.

As investigations continue, military authorities are expected to determine whether additional personnel were involved in the alleged unauthorised deployment and whether disciplinary or criminal actions will follow. The outcome of the probe is also expected to clarify how the soldiers came to be present at the celebrity wedding and whether any civilians facilitated the alleged breach of military regulations.