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, Shehu Mohammed, expressed concern over what he described as a growing trend of reckless road use among celebrities, content creators and social media influencers, warning that such conduct endangers lives and undermines national road safety efforts.

The directive followed the circulation of a video showing Peller livestreaming while driving—an act that reportedly led to a crash.

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 said the episode “serves as a grim reminder that fame does not confer immunity from the law, nor does it excuse dangerous behaviour on public roads.”

Mohammed stressed 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 to reduce road traffic crashes and fatalities nationwide.

Consequently, the corps marshal directed the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC to commence prosecution of the individual involved.

He disclosed that the charges would include “reckless driving, use of phone while driving, and distracted driving, in accordance with extant traffic laws.”

Mohammed also called on professional bodies within the entertainment industry to take responsibility for the conduct of their members.

He urged actors’ guilds, entertainment associations, influencer networks and content creator communities to rein in their members and promote responsible behaviour on Nigerian roads.

Highlighting the influence celebrities wield, particularly among young Nigerians, he warned that they “must be seen as ambassadors of safety, not symbols of recklessness.”

Issuing a firm enforcement warning, Mohammed said the FRSC “will not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law against any individual—celebrity or otherwise—found engaging in distracted or reckless driving.”

He emphasised that “no social media content, online trend or momentary clout is worth a human life.”

The corps marshal further reminded motorists that “public roads are not studios, stages or streaming platforms,” describing them as shared spaces governed by laws designed to preserve lives.

Mohammed encouraged Nigerians to report dangerous driving behaviours and support collective efforts to make the nation’s roads safer.

The FRSC reaffirmed its commitment to safer highways, stressing that road safety remains a shared responsibility that demands discipline, restraint and respect for the law by all road users, without exception.