Popular TikTok content creator, Habeeb “Peller” Hamzat, has rejected a N36 million income tax demand from the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), insisting he has no taxable earnings in Nigeria.
In a viral clip from a livestream with singer Tobechukwu “Peruzzi” Okoh, the 20-year-old accused the state government of targeting him after his appearance on TVC, where he claimed to be making money from TikTok—a statement he now admits was exaggerated.
“The task force said I should pay N36 million in tax. I swear to Almighty Allah, I don’t have anything. I only came into the limelight last year… I don’t earn from Nigeria; my money comes from social media. I don’t work in any company, and I don’t have any,” Peller said.
Winner of the “Best Content Creator” award at the 2024 Trace Awards & Festival, Peller said no state official had ever supported or sponsored his career.
During the livestream, Peruzzi urged him to settle the bill to avoid arrest, warning that the government would not overlook unpaid taxes. “If you’re earning money in Nigeria, you must pay tax,” the singer told him.
