Former Guinean dictator Moussa Dadis Camara was on Saturday taken from prison by a heavily armed commando during an operation that sparked heavy gunfire in the capital Conakry, a minister and lawyers say.

At least two other former officials currently on trial alongside Dadis Camara over a 2009 massacre during his presidency were also taken from the central prison, they said.

Justice Minister Aphonese Charles Wright said that at around 0500 GMT “heavily armed men” burst into the prison and “managed to leave with four (prisoners)… notably Captain Moussa Dadis Camara”.

He said that the borders had been closed.

It was unclear whether Dadis Camara had escaped of his own free will.

However, the army described the operation as an attempt to “sabotage” government reforms and swore its “unwavering commitment” to the current authorities.

A judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the masked and heavily armed soldiers who arrived at the prison declared they “had come to free Captain Dadis Camara”.

Inside, the group headed towards the former leader’s cell, appearing to already know its location, the source said.

Dadis Camara’s lawyer Jocamey Haba told AFP he believed his client had been “kidnapped” and his life was “in danger”.

[NaijaNews]