Army arrests two soldiers over unauthorised deployment at Peller, Jarvis’ wedding

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By Kingsley Omonobi

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The Nigerian Army has arrested two serving soldiers over their alleged involvement in an unauthorised deployment during the wedding ceremony of Nigerian content creator, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, and TikTok personality, Jarvis, in Lekki, Lagos State.

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Sources who confirmed the development to Vanguard said the arrests followed credible intelligence indicating that some military personnel allegedly participated in an illegal deployment at the celebrity event held over the weekend.

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The arrested soldiers were identified as Private Onasanya Ifeoluwa (23NA/85/10007) and Private Ukpai Onyinyechi (23NA/85/7885), both of the 81 Division Medical Services and Hospital (81DMSH), Obalende, Lagos.

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The duo were reportedly apprehended on Tuesday morning, while preliminary investigations have commenced to determine the extent of their involvement and identify other personnel connected with the incident.

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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.

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“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.”

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The development followed the circulation of videos from the well-attended wedding on social media, showing uniformed military personnel providing security and crowd control at the venue.

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One of the viral clips allegedly showed a soldier escorting a social media personality through the crowded event, sparking public criticism and questions over the presence of military personnel at a private function.

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The wedding, which attracted entertainers, influencers and content creators from across the country, generated widespread attention online, with discussions later shifting to compliance with military regulations on official deployments.

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The Nigerian Army has consistently maintained that serving personnel are not permitted to undertake unauthorised private security duties or participate in deployments outside official assignments without appropriate approval.

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The ongoing investigation is expected to establish whether the deployment breached existing military regulations and determine further disciplinary action against anyone found culpable.

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