Popular Nigerian TikToker, Habeeb Okikiola, widely known as Peller, has expressed outrage after receiving what he called an “unreasonable” tax demand from the Lagos State Inland Revenue Service (LIRS).
In a viral video, Peller disclosed that the agency billed him ₦18 million in taxes, an amount he insists is far above his actual earnings.
“Government, please have mercy on me. I have nothing; I’m just managing. How can you ask me to pay such a huge tax? Do you want to kill me? You have children like me at home; why treat me this way?” he lamented.
The content creator suspects the bill may have been influenced by a rumour claiming he paid fellow TikToker Gehgeh ₦25 million to appear on his livestream.
In a follow-up video, he debunked the claim, insisting his online income is far smaller than people think.
“Please don’t believe him. I never paid that amount. My fans contributed to cover the studio expenses. Even the brand deals I get online don’t pay more than ₦200k or ₦500k,” he clarified.
The young TikToker added that inflated assumptions about his earnings have created a false image of his financial status, which may have triggered the excessive tax bill.