Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has vehemently denied allegations that he is collaborating with Fulani leaders to raise N300 billion for an image-laundering campaign abroad.

The allegations, attributed to individuals identified as Dennis Agema and Oliver Omenka under the Network for Transparency Governance (NTG), claimed that the Governor and unnamed Fulani collaborators had raised the substantial sum to whitewash his image internationally, particularly during his recent trip to the United States.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, Governor Alia dismissed the report as "a disgraceful tissue of lies" designed to stoke ethnic tensions and undermine his administration's efforts to secure and rebuild Benue State.

"There is no such N300 billion mission; no plan to launder any image, and certainly no conspiracy between the Reverend Gentleman and any ethnicity or groups including Fulani leaders, as recklessly peddled by these faceless agents of destabilization," the statement read.

According to Kula, the Governor's recent visit to the United States was for legitimate academic and diplomatic engagements. Alia was invited by the Department of African and African-American Studies at Harvard University to deliver a paper on "Democracy and Economic Growth in Nigeria."

Beyond the academic forum, the Governor reportedly used the U.S. visit to attract investment, foster partnerships, and draw global attention to the humanitarian crisis and security challenges faced by the people of Benue.

The government described the accusation of a N300 billion fundraising scheme as "ludicrous," suggesting it was part of a calculated campaign by desperate political elements to tarnish the Governor's reputation.

"These coordinated attacks only expose the desperation of failed politicians and rogue actors who cannot stand the Governor's rising profile and his steady record of responsible leadership," Kula stated.

The statement emphasized that the Alia-led administration has made tangible efforts to address insecurity in the state, including facilitating the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and strengthening local security frameworks.

Governor Alia, a Catholic priest who was elected in 2023, has maintained that he remains "a committed servant-leader, a priest of accord, and a patriotic Nigerian who has never compromised the welfare or dignity of the Benue people."

The Governor's firm denial comes amid ongoing security challenges in Benue State, which has witnessed tensions between farming communities and herders in recent years.