Oba of Benin Suspends Palace Queen and Chiefs Over Protocol Breach

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has indefinitely suspended a palace queen and several chiefs following an incident involving unauthorized access to social media, which breached established palace protocols. This incident occurred on March 6, 2026, and was attributed to a palace staff member, Mr.

Omuemu, who was detained by the Nigeria Police Force and charged in court for allegedly causing a breach of peace and abetting unauthorized entry. The Benin Traditional Council, through its secretary Frank Irabor, stated that the actions of Habeeb Hamzat Adelaja, popularly known as Peller, and his entourage, who entered the palace without requisite permission, caused significant embarrassment and a breach of peace within the palace grounds.

The council views this incident with utmost gravity, as it undermines the traditional customs and protocols that have governed the palace for centuries. The council has extended an invitation to Peller to appear before a committee to investigate the matter, but he failed to honor the invitation, prompting the council to consider legal action.