The Nigerian Army has arrested two serving soldiers over their alleged involvement in an unauthorised deployment during the star-studded wedding of content creator Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, and fellow TikTok personality Jarvis in Lagos.
The arrests were reportedly carried out on Tuesday following intelligence that the military personnel participated in an illegal deployment at the celebrity wedding held in Lekki over the weekend. Authorities have since launched an investigation to determine how the soldiers were assigned to the event.
According to reports, the arrested personnel have been identified as Private Onasanya Ifeoluwa (23NA/85/10007) and Private Ukpai Onyinyechi (23NA/85/7885), both attached to the 81 Division Medical Services and Hospital (81DMSH) in Obalende, Lagos.
A military source said the arrests followed credible intelligence linking the soldiers to the deployment.
“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 Private Onasanya Ifeoluwa and Private Ukpai Onyinyechi. Preliminary investigation is ongoing to establish the extent of their involvement and identify other personnel connected with the incident,” the source said.
The controversy began after videos from the wedding surfaced online showing uniformed military personnel providing security at the event. One of the widely shared clips allegedly showed a soldier escorting TikTok personality Ivanna through the venue while controlling access around her, prompting criticism from social media users.
The videos sparked debate over the use of serving military personnel at private social events, with many Nigerians questioning whether official approval had been granted for the deployment.
The glamorous wedding of Peller and Jarvis attracted several entertainers, influencers and digital content creators, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about celebrity events of the weekend. However, the focus shifted from the celebrations after footage of the uniformed personnel began circulating online.
The Nigerian Army has consistently maintained that serving personnel are prohibited from undertaking unauthorised private security duties or participating in deployments that have not received official military approval. Investigations are expected to determine whether additional personnel or civilians were involved and whether disciplinary action will follow.
