FRSC to prosecute popular TikTok creator Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, following a widely circulated video showing him live-streaming while driving, an act that reportedly led to a road traffic crash.
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, expressed concern over what he described as a growing trend of reckless road behaviour by celebrities, content creators, and social media influencers, warning that such actions endanger lives and undermine road safety efforts.
In a statement signed by FRSC spokesperson Olusegun Ogungbemide on Monday, Mohammed described the incident involving Peller as unlawful and dangerous, noting it could have led to loss of lives.
He said the act “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.”
He added that such behaviour undermines national efforts aimed at reducing road traffic crashes and fatalities.
As a result, the FRSC has directed the Lagos State Sector Commander to begin prosecution against Peller for “reckless driving, use of phone while driving, and distracted driving, in accordance with extant traffic laws.”
The corps marshal also called on professional bodies and entertainment industry groups to take responsibility for their members, urging actors guilds, influencer networks, and content creator associations to promote responsible behaviour on Nigerian roads.
Mohammed highlighted that celebrities and influencers, who hold significant sway over young Nigerians, “must be seen as ambassadors of safety, not symbols of recklessness.”
Warning of strict enforcement, he 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.”
Mohammed 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.
He encouraged Nigerians to report dangerous driving behaviours and support collective efforts to make roads safer, reaffirming that road safety “remains a shared responsibility that requires discipline, restraint, and respect for the law by all road users, without exception.”