The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has commenced steps to prosecute popular TikTok streamer, Habeeb Hamzat, widely known as Peller, following a road traffic crash linked to live streaming while driving.
The Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, raised the alarm over what he described as an increasing 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.
His reaction followed the circulation of a video showing Peller engaging in a live TikTok session behind the wheel, an action that reportedly culminated in a crash.
In a statement issued on Monday by the FRSC spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, Mohammed described the act as unlawful and dangerous, stressing that it could have resulted in loss of lives.
He said 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.”
Mohammed stated 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 runs counter to ongoing efforts to reduce road traffic crashes and fatalities across the country.
Consequently, the corps marshal directed the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC to immediately initiate prosecution against the individual involved.
According to him, the action would be for “reckless driving, use of phone while driving, and distracted driving, in accordance with extant traffic laws.”
Mohammed also urged professional bodies within the entertainment industry to take responsibility for the conduct of their members, calling on actors’ guilds, entertainment associations, influencer networks and content creator communities to promote responsible behaviour on Nigerian roads.
He noted that celebrities and influencers command enormous followership, especially among young Nigerians, and warned that they “must be seen as ambassadors of safety, not symbols of recklessness.”
Issuing a stern warning, the corps marshal 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 stressed that “no social media content, online trend or momentary clout is worth a human life,” adding that “public roads are not studios, stages or streaming platforms,” but shared spaces governed by laws meant to preserve lives.
Mohammed encouraged members of the public to report dangerous driving behaviours and support collective efforts to improve road safety.
The FRSC reaffirmed its commitment to safer highways, emphasising that road safety remains a shared responsibility requiring discipline, restraint and respect for the law by all road users, without exception.