TitTok star, Peller and the crashed vehicle
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has moved to reinforce discipline on Nigerian roads with an order to prosecute popular TikTok streamer Habeeb Hamzat, widely known as Peller, following a road crash linked to distracted driving.
The directive was issued by the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, after a video circulated widely online showing the influencer livestreaming while driving — an action the FRSC says culminated in a traffic crash and could have had far more tragic consequences.
Raising the alarm over what he described as a worrying culture of recklessness among celebrities and social media influencers, Mohammed warned that such conduct not only endangers lives but also undermines national road safety campaigns.
In a statement signed by the FRSC spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, the corps marshal described the act as unlawful and dangerous, stressing that it could easily have resulted in fatalities.
According to Mohammed, 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.”
He further cautioned 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.”
Mohammed added that such behaviour weakens ongoing efforts to reduce road traffic crashes and fatalities nationwide.
Consequently, he directed the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC to immediately begin 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.”
Beyond enforcement, the corps marshal also challenged stakeholders in 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 safer behaviour on the roads.
Emphasising the powerful influence celebrities wield, particularly among young Nigerians, Mohammed warned that they “must be seen as ambassadors of safety, not symbols of recklessness.”
He also issued a firm notice on enforcement, stating that 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.”
“No social media content, online trend or momentary clout is worth a human life,” he stressed.
Reminding motorists of the purpose of public highways, Mohammed said “public roads are not studios, stages or streaming platforms,” but shared spaces governed by laws meant to protect lives.
He encouraged Nigerians to report dangerous driving and support collective efforts to make the nation’s roads safer.
The FRSC reaffirmed its commitment to safer highways, noting that road safety remains a shared responsibility that demands discipline, restraint and respect for the law from all road users, without exception.
