Furore In Benin Palace Over Content Creator Peller’s Visit As Queen Faces Banishment For Complicity, Chief Suspended Indefinitely

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Found complicit in the “unauthorised access” of social media influencer, Habeeb Hamzat Adelaja, popularly called Peller, to the palace for content creation on March 6, 2026, one of the Queens of the Oba of Benin, Ewuare 11, may be banished from the palace while a Chief has been suspended and another staff being prosecuted for their respective roles.

The Benin Traditional Council (BTC) announced these severe disciplinary actions in a press statement on Tuesday signed by Frank Irabor, BTC Secretary, in reaction to a video by Peller which has since gone viral on the social media.

In the statement titled: “Benin Traditional Council sanctions chiefs, staff and queen over unauthorized palace access by Influencer Peller”, the BTC said the presence of Peller in the palace constituted “a serious breach of protocol and desecration of the sacred precincts of the Palace.”

The BTC consequently asked Peller to appear before a committee of Chiefs set up to investigate how he entered the palace, tender an unreserved written apology to the Palace for the embarrassment caused, or face legal action.

The Council disclosed that at the end of its investigation of the incident, certain individuals were identified to have aided the social media influencer’s entry into the palace, among whom was “a Queen of the Palace who was unfortunately featured in the incident and is now facing serious disciplinary proceedings”.

The statement hinted that “In accordance with Benin traditions and customs, these proceedings may inadvertently result in her removal from the Palace.”

Frowning at the refusal of the content creator to honour an invitation to appear before a committee of Chiefs tasked with investigating the matter to provide his own side of the story, the BTC said “the appropriate Law Enforcement Agencies have been duly informed of this matter and are standing by to take necessary action against him”.

The full statement reads:
“The Benin Traditional Council (BTC) wishes to address the public regarding a serious breach of protocol and desecration of the sacred precincts of the Palace, which occurred on Friday, 6th March 2026.

“The Council confirms that an individual, Habeeb Hamzat Adelaja, a social media influencer popularly known as “Peller,” gained unauthorized access to the Palace premises on the said date. Mr. Adelaja and his entourage entered the Palace without the requisite permission from the Council, and their subsequent conduct caused significant embarrassment and a breach of the peace within the Palace grounds.

“The Benin Traditional Council views this incident with the utmost gravity. The Palace is not a public thoroughfare or a location for frivolous content creation; it is the ancient and spiritual seat of the Oba of Benin, governed by centuries of tradition, custom, and sacred protocols.

“The Council has conducted a preliminary investigation into the circumstances that allowed this unauthorized access. Consequently, stringent disciplinary measures have been taken against Palace staff and chiefs who aided this mischievous act. Specifically, a Chief who was implicated in the incident has been suspended indefinitely from the Palace. A staff member of the Benin Traditional Council, identified as Mr. Omuemu, has been detained by the Nigeria Police Force.

“He has been charged to court for causing a breach of the peace and abetting the unauthorized entry. Furthermore, it is with deep regret that the Council confirms that a Queen of the Palace who was unfortunately featured in the incident is now facing serious disciplinary proceedings. In accordance with Benin traditions and customs, these proceedings may inadvertently result in her removal from the Palace.

“Following the incident, the Council, utilizing the same channels within the palace that facilitated the initial entry, extended an invitation to Mr. Habeeb Hamzat Adelaja (Peller). He was requested to appear before a committee of Chiefs tasked with investigating the matter to provide his own side of the story. Regrettably, Mr. Adelaja has failed to honor this invitation.

“The Council is therefore using this public medium to demand that Mr. Adelaja present himself immediately to the relevant authorities within the Council. His unapproved visit has caused untold distress to so many people, and as such, he must tender an unreserved written apology to the Palace for his unauthorized access and the embarrassment caused. Failure to comply with this directive will leave the Council with no option but to pursue legal action. The appropriate Law Enforcement Agencies have been duly informed of this matter and are standing by to take necessary action against him.

“The Benin Traditional Council assures the public and the entire Benin nation that it remains the unwavering custodian of our age-old customs and traditions. While unscrupulous elements may occasionally attempt to undermine our sacred institutions, banking on the fatherly and forgiving disposition of His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare I, CFR, they do so at their peril. The Council wishes to state unequivocally that it possesses the institutional tools to immediately correct such infractions and prevent any reoccurrence.

“We thank the public for their concern and support in preserving the sanctity and dignity of the Benin throne.”