MONROVIA — The Liberian government and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have debunked a viral image circulating online that appeared to show heavily armed police officers monitoring students during the ongoing WASSCE.
The image was first shared June 1 by the social media page Refresh Liberia and quickly sparked debate, with users questioning the use of armed security at exam centers across the country.
Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah dismissed the photo during Tuesday’s press briefing, calling it “misleading and likely artificially generated.” He said no evidence exists of heavily armed officers being deployed to any examination center and cautioned Liberians to avoid spreading unverified content that could undermine public trust in the testing process.
WAEC echoed the government’s position in a June 2 statement, saying the image does not reflect conditions at any of its centers. The Council suggested the picture may have been produced using artificial intelligence.
“At no time has the Liberia National Police deployed more than one police officer at any of our examination centers, least of all officers being heavily armed as indicated in the post,” the statement read.
WAEC accused Refresh Liberia of attempting to damage the reputations of both the examination body and the Liberia National Police. It demanded an immediate retraction, warning of possible legal consequences if the post remains online.
The Council maintains that the 2026 WASSCE is proceeding peacefully nationwide, with no reports of armed personnel inside exam halls.
The incident has renewed concerns about AI-generated misinformation and the public’s ability to tell real images from fabricated ones. Some citizens backed the official clarifications, while others called for independent checks whenever state institutions are involved in viral claims.
Refresh Liberia had not responded to the allegations as of press time. Officials are urging the public to rely on credible sources and think twice before sharing unconfirmed posts.
