The Nigerian Army has detained two serving soldiers over their alleged involvement in an unauthorised deployment during the wedding ceremony of content creator Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, and TikTok personality Jarvis in Lekki, Lagos State.
Sources disclosed that the arrests were made after credible intelligence indicated that some military personnel participated in an unauthorised deployment at the celebrity wedding held over the weekend.
The soldiers were identified as Private Onasanya Ifeoluwa (23NA/85/10007) and Private Ukpai Onyinyechi (23NA/85/7885), both serving with the 81 Division Medical Services and Hospital (81DMSH), Obalende, Lagos.
They were reportedly taken into custody on Tuesday morning, while preliminary investigations are underway to determine the extent of their involvement and identify any other individuals linked to the incident.
A military source said: “Following credible intelligence on the involvement of Nigerian Army personnel in illegal deployment during the popular social influencer’s wedding in Lekki, Lagos, the personnel were arrested.
“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 arrests followed the circulation of videos from the high-profile wedding showing uniformed soldiers providing security and crowd control at the venue.
One of the viral videos allegedly captured a soldier escorting a social media personality through the crowd, prompting public reactions and raising questions over the presence of military personnel at a private function.
The wedding, which attracted entertainers, influencers and content creators from different parts of the country, generated widespread attention across social media platforms.
The Nigerian Army has consistently maintained that serving personnel are prohibited from carrying out unauthorised private security duties or participating in deployments outside official assignments without approval.
The ongoing investigation is expected to determine whether the deployment breached military regulations and what disciplinary action may be taken if any personnel are found culpable.