The Nigerian Army has arrested two privates, Onasanya Ifeoluwa and Ukpai Onyinyechi, for working as bouncers during the wedding of social media personalities Habeeb Hamzat, known as Peller, and Jarvis in Lekki. The event took place over the weekend, and footage from the ceremony showed the soldiers in military uniform providing security and escorting guests, including TikTok personality Ivanna. The clips spread widely on social media, prompting public scrutiny about the deployment of military personnel at private celebrity functions.
Both soldiers are attached to the Nigerian Army's Medical Services and Hospital in Obalende, Lagos. Lt.-Col Musa Yahaya, spokesman for the 81 Division, confirmed their arrest on Tuesday and stated they are currently in custody. The army reiterated that personnel are prohibited from engaging in unauthorised private security duties or any deployment without official approval. The incident is under preliminary investigation to determine the extent of the soldiers' involvement and whether other personnel were linked to the unapproved assignment.
The use of military officers at the wedding contradicts President Bola Tinubu's earlier directive to withdraw police and military escorts for individuals not legally entitled to them, a move intended to improve national security coverage. The army maintains its stance against such private engagements, emphasizing adherence to protocol. No further details about potential charges or internal disciplinary actions have been disclosed.
Two soldiers broke protocol by appearing in uniform at a celebrity wedding just after a presidential order restricted military deployments. Their arrest shows the army is enforcing discipline, but raises questions about how such assignments were approved internally. The incident exposes gaps in oversight within military units responsible for personnel conduct.
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