FRSC Orders Prosecution of TikTok Star Peller Over Distracted Driving Crash
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has ordered the prosecution of popular TikTok streamer Habeeb Hamzat, widely known as Peller, following a road traffic crash linked to distracted driving.
The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, expressed concern over what he described as a rising trend of reckless road use among celebrities, content creators and social media influencers, warning that such conduct poses serious risks to public safety and undermines national road safety efforts.
The directive followed a widely circulated video showing Peller engaging in a live video stream while driving, an act that reportedly resulted in a crash. The footage sparked public outrage and renewed debate over the dangers of distracted driving on Nigerian roads.
In a statement signed by the FRSC spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, Mohammed described the incident as unlawful and dangerous, noting that it could have resulted in loss of lives. He stressed that fame does not place anyone above the law.
“The incident serves as a grim reminder that fame does not confer immunity from the law, nor does it excuse dangerous behaviour on public roads,” the corps marshal said.
Mohammed further stated that “live streaming, content creation, recording or engaging in any activity that distracts a driver while driving is a direct violation of established road traffic regulations and poses grave danger not only to the driver but to other innocent road users.”
According to him, such actions undermine ongoing efforts by the FRSC and other stakeholders to reduce road traffic crashes and fatalities across the country.
Consequently, the corps marshal directed the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC to commence prosecution against the individual involved. He said the charges would include reckless driving, use of a mobile phone while driving and distracted driving, in line with existing traffic laws.
Mohammed also called on professional bodies within the entertainment industry to take greater responsibility for the conduct of their members. He urged actors’ guilds, entertainment associations, influencer networks and content creator communities to promote responsible behaviour and discourage unsafe practices on Nigerian roads.
Noting the strong influence celebrities have on young Nigerians, he warned that they “must be seen as ambassadors of safety, not symbols of recklessness.”
Issuing a broader warning, the corps marshal said the FRSC would not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law against any individual, celebrity or otherwise, found engaging in distracted or reckless driving.
“No social media content, online trend or momentary clout is worth a human life,” he said, adding that public roads are not studios or streaming platforms but shared spaces governed by laws meant to protect lives.
The FRSC reaffirmed its commitment to safer highways and called on Nigerians to report dangerous driving behaviours, stressing that road safety remains a collective responsibility requiring discipline, restraint and respect for the law by all road users.
