Buu-Yao District, Nimba County — A storm of outrage has erupted in Nimba after students accused a Liberia National Police officer of siphoning off money meant to support candidates sitting the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
At the center of the scandal is Officer Eddie B. Dahn, who allegedly withheld part of a fund entrusted to him by students of Buutuo Central High School. The incident unfolded on June 1, 2026, the opening day of the examinations, when students were instructed by exam authorities not to carry personal belongings into the hall. A plastic bag containing L$106,000 was handed to Officer Dahn for safekeeping.
But what began as a routine precaution quickly spiraled into controversy. According to student spokesperson Junior Tomah, Officer Dahn vanished from campus after the exam. When students tracked him to his residence, he denied knowledge of the money, claiming the bag left behind contained no cash.
The confrontation sparked heated exchanges and drew in school authorities. After intervention at the Buutuo Police Station, Officer Dahn eventually produced L$95,000, returning it to the students. Yet the group insists the original sum was L$106,000, leaving L$11,000 unaccounted for.
“We entrusted him with our money in good faith,” Tomah declared. “Now we are missing funds that were meant to ensure our participation in these critical exams. We demand full accountability.”
The students have vowed to pursue legal action if the missing amount is not returned, framing the incident as a betrayal of trust at a time when their academic futures hang in the balance.
Officer Dahn, however, has flatly denied receiving the full amount alleged. His partial repayment, critics argue, only deepens suspicions. The case remains unresolved, with students pressing for justice and transparency.
The allegations have sent shockwaves through the community, raising troubling questions about integrity within the police force. For many parents and educators, the incident underscores the vulnerability of students who rely on institutional trust during high-stakes national examinations.
Observers warn that if left unaddressed, the scandal could erode confidence in both the Liberia National Police and the broader education system. Civil society voices are already calling for swift investigation, insisting that accountability must be enforced to protect students from exploitation.
As the WASSCE continues across Liberia, the Buutuo controversy has become a cautionary tale — a stark reminder of how corruption, even at the smallest scale, can jeopardize the hopes of young people striving for a better future.
For now, the unanswered question remains: will the missing L$11,000 be recovered, or will this case fade into yet another chapter of unpunished misconduct?
