The Lagos State Government has addressed viral claims by popular TikTok creator Habeeb Hamzat, better known as Peller, that he was slammed with a N36 million tax bill by the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS).
Abdulkabir Ogungbo, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tax and Revenue, clarified on Tuesday that the LIRS is an independent body tasked with assessing and issuing tax judgments on behalf of the state.
Peller, a 20-year-old influencer who rose to fame in 2024, had voiced frustration during a livestream with singer Peruzzi, alleging that the government demanded he pay N36m in income tax.
“The task force said I should pay N36m in tax. I swear to Almighty Allah, I don’t have anything. I only came into the limelight last year. Why should I pay N36m? Why will the government take money from me when it has never given me anything, not even TikTok support?” Peller lamented.
Responding, Ogungbo acknowledged the need to review the specifics of Peller’s case but emphasized that taxation is a civic duty for anyone earning within Lagos.
“Anybody who earns legitimately is required by Section 24 of the Nigerian Constitution to declare their income honestly and pay tax. So while the context of the size and quantum of this particular case needs to be properly investigated, the principle remains that anyone earning must remit taxes,” he explained.
He also noted that new tax reforms cover digital creators and virtual earnings.
“Irrespective of whether you earn physically or virtually, once you reside in Lagos and benefit from the state’s infrastructure, you are expected to pay tax here, unless you can prove you are paying to another jurisdiction,” Ogungbo said.
While stressing that the LIRS operates autonomously and efficiently, Ogungbo assured that he would engage the agency for clarification on Peller’s matter.
For now, the LIRS has not officially responded to the TikToker’s criticisms, and attempts to reach its Head of Corporate Communications, Monsurat Amasa, have so far been unsuccessful.
