Popular TikToker Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, has spoken about his experience in police custody after he was granted bail following his arraignment before a Lagos Magistrate Court over an alleged confrontation with police officers on Lagos’ Coastal Road.
In a post shared on his Instagram page after regaining his freedom, Peller lamented the conditions of his detention, claiming he spent nearly four days in custody without food or access to a bath.
“I am ugly now. I can’t show my face yet. Omo, I sleep cell for almost four days. It has never happened to me before in my life. I no chop, I no bath for four days,” he wrote.
Peller and his associate, Bello Oladipo, were arraigned on Sunday, July 6, on a three-count charge bordering on allegedly resisting public officers, obstructing them from carrying out their lawful duties, and threatening as well as recording police officers while they were on duty.
The charges stem from an incident on July 2 after Peller was stopped by police for allegedly driving a vehicle without a number plate. While the TikToker insisted he had just purchased the car, the officers maintained that he was required to accompany them to the station.
The situation reportedly escalated after Peller began recording the encounter. He later alleged that the officers became hostile, dragged his shirt and pointed a gun at him.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants allegedly conspired to resist public officers, an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. They were also accused of obstructing ASP Agbede Victor and three other officers in the discharge of their lawful duties, contrary to Section 117(1)(2) of the law.
The third count alleged that the pair conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of public peace by threatening and recording police officers while they were performing their lawful duties, contrary to Section 168(a) and (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The court subsequently admitted them to bail in the sum of ₦500,000 each with two sureties. One of the sureties must be a blood relative, while the defendants were also directed to provide two years’ tax clearance certificates as part of their bail conditions.