The Lagos State Police Command has taken into custody a 20-year-old social media personality, Habeeb Hamzat, widely known as Peller, following an alleged suicide attempt linked to a widely circulated video showing dangerous driving.
Police authorities said the arrest followed the emergence of a video on Sunday in which the influencer was seen driving carelessly while livestreaming on social media. The reckless act reportedly led to a serious road accident that posed significant danger to public safety.
At the time of the incident, Peller was said to be alone in his recently acquired Mercedes-Benz. During the livestream, he appeared visibly distraught and emotionally unstable while speaking on the phone, allegedly with his girlfriend, Jarvis, amid rumours that their relationship had ended.
In the video, the influencer could be heard making alarming statements, including threats to deliberately crash the vehicle. He also expressed fear and emotional distress, suggesting that he could take his own life if abandoned, comments that heightened concern among viewers.
Moments later, the footage showed him speeding away before crashing into a stone barrier along the Lekki–Epe Expressway, leaving the vehicle badly damaged. He was subsequently rushed to the hospital for medical attention.
The police described his conduct as a grave threat not only to his own life but also to other motorists, characterising the incident as an intentional suicide attempt and a serious violation of public safety rules.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed that the matter had been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a comprehensive investigation. She noted that the findings would be made public and that the suspect would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Adebisi stressed that the influencer’s actions constituted a deliberate endangerment of lives and assured that appropriate legal steps would follow once investigations were concluded.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, warned social media influencers, content creators, and the general public against using online platforms to encourage or engage in reckless, unlawful, or life-threatening behaviour.
He emphasised that such actions would not be condoned and that offenders would face the full force of the law. The command also appealed to all road users to comply strictly with traffic regulations, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring safety and maintaining public order across Lagos State.