The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has revealed that it is taking steps to prosecute well-known TikTok content creator Habeeb Hamzat, popularly called Peller, following allegations of reckless and distracted driving linked to a recent incident.
The move comes after a video circulated widely on social media showing the influencer live streaming while operating a vehicle. According to the FRSC, the act of streaming during the drive reportedly led to a road traffic crash, raising serious safety concerns.
This development was confirmed in a statement released on Monday by the Assistant Corps Marshal and Corps Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide. In the statement, the Corps Marshal expressed strong displeasure over what he described as a disturbing rise in unsafe road practices among celebrities and social media personalities. He noted that, in their quest for online engagement and popularity, some influencers deliberately disregard traffic rules, thereby putting their own lives and those of other road users at risk.
The FRSC emphasized that using a phone, recording videos, or live streaming while driving constitutes a direct breach of traffic regulations and significantly increases the likelihood of accidents. In response to the incident, the Corps Marshal ordered the Lagos State Sector Commander to immediately begin legal proceedings against the individual involved. The charges are expected to include reckless driving, phone use while driving, and distracted driving, in accordance with existing laws.
Describing the incident as a sobering warning, the FRSC stressed that social status or fame does not place anyone above the law, nor does it justify unsafe conduct on public roads. The agency further cautioned that highways and streets should never be treated as filming locations, as such behaviour undermines national efforts to reduce road accidents and fatalities.
The Corps Marshal also urged entertainment bodies, influencer groups, and creative communities to caution their members and encourage responsible behaviour. He warned that the FRSC would firmly enforce the law against anyone found violating traffic rules, stressing that no online trend or pursuit of clout is worth risking human lives.