IMAGES of giant statues allegedly depicting Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue State, have surfaced on the internet.
The images, posted on X by a user, @SadiqMaunde, show two large statues placed at busy roundabouts, claiming that the monuments are currently being erected in Benue state.
In one of the viral pictures, the statue is dressed in the Tiv traditional black-and-white attire, while another shows the figure in a green suit with a bishop collar.
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The images were accompanied by a caption that read:
The executive governor of Benue state. APC governors just dey compete for clown pass.
Since the post was published on Friday, September 12, 2025, it has garnered over 350,000 views, 2,000 likes, and 702 reposts.
CLAIM
Images show statues of Hyacinth Alia in Benue Roundabouts
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE!
A closer examination of the pictures revealed several features typical of AI-generated images. In the photos, for instance, the workers standing on the scaffolding appear without distinct heads or facial features.
Further scrutiny shows an electrical pole merging unnaturally with the statue and scaffolding, while the texts on nearby billboards are incomprehensible — all common indicators of AI-generated content.
A Google Lens search of the images also returned other similar, AI-generated visuals of the same nature.
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The FactCheckHub also observed that no credible media platform reported the claim that the Benue governor was building statues of himself.
THE VERDICT
The claim that images show statues of Hyacinth Alia in Benue Roundabouts is false; the images are AI-generated.
Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org.
