Sporadic gunfire reported near central prison facility in Guinea’s capital

BAMAKO, Mali

Sporadic gunfire was reported Tuesday morning in Kaloum, the administrative and business hub of Guinea’s capital, Conakry, with multiple sources saying the shots came from the vicinity of a central prison compound.

The incident may be linked to an attempted extraction of a detainee, according to local media outlets, but authorities have not yet issued any official statement.

A well-informed source told Anadolu that Toumba Diakite, a high-profile inmate convicted in the case of the Sept. 28, 2009 stadium massacre, could have been the target, although the claim has not been officially confirmed.

Several witnesses said gunshots were heard coming from the direction of the central prison, also known as the Coronthie detention facility.

“I have been in Kaloum since 7.00 am. From where I am, I can hear gunfire toward the central prison. We do not really know what is happening,” a resident told local outlet Africaguinee.com, adding that rumors involving Diakite were circulating but remained unverified.

Another source working near the Coronthie prison also confirmed to Anadolu that they heard gunfire from within the compound.

A local witness in Conakry who identified himself as Saly Bilal Sow, also told Anadolu that gunfire had been heard in the Kaloum area near the central prison.

One of Diakite's attorneys, Paul Yomba Kourouma, reportedly said that he was heading to the central prison and was not in a position to provide details.

The reports sparked fear among some residents of Kaloum.

“For now, I am sheltering where I am until I understand what is going on,” one visibly shaken resident told Guineenews outlet.

Toumba Diakite is a prominent detainee convicted in connection with the 2009 events, a landmark case in Guinea’s recent history. Kaloum hosts key government institutions and major commercial activity, making any security incident in the area particularly sensitive.

In a statement issued by the Office of the Public Prosecutor at the Conakry Court of Appeal, authorities said the incident followed an unannounced control and search operation carried out on Feb. 9 inside the Conakry Central Prison.

According to the communique, the supervised operation led to the seizure of several prohibited items, including mobile phones, psychotropic substances, and bladed weapons such as scissors, knives, and forks, found in the possession of certain detainees.

The statement said that Aboubacar Diakite, known as “Toumba,” showed aggressive behavior during the operation by refusing to submit to the search and issuing threats against security officers, actions that also caused tensions among other detainees.

Faced with what it described as a situation that compromised the security of the facility, prison authorities decided to transfer Diakite on Tuesday to the Coyah Central Prison in order to preserve public order and ensure the safety of detainees and prison staff.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the law, ensuring the security of penitentiary facilities, and taking firm action against all forms of crime, including those allegedly organized from within detention centers.

On Sept. 28, 2009, opposition supporters gathered at Conakry’s main stadium to protest against then-junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara’s potential bid for the presidency. Security forces stormed the stadium, killing at least 156 people, wounding hundreds, and sexually targeting over 100 women, according to several international rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.