Ouagadougou: Burkinabée authorities have arrested influential Sunni imam and preacher, Dr Mohamad Ishaq Kindo on Tuesday, the revered Muslim day of Arafat.

The arrest comes exactly two days after denouncing a bill passed in March seeking to regulate religious freedoms in the country.

The Federation of Islamic Associations of Burkina Faso (FAIB) said the reasons for his arrest were yet to be officially communicated.

In its press release, the FAIB called on Muslim worshippers to remain calm and exercise restraint.

It also urged the public to avoid any speculation and the dissemination of unverified information surrounding this matter.

The Islamic organisation further called on regional coordinators to raise awareness among the faithful regarding respect for institutions and the preservation of social peace.

“The Federation reiterates its confidence in the competent authorities and is following the situation very closely,” the statement highlighted.

A relative, who witnessed the arrest, indicated that it took place around 2 p.m. on the eve of Eid al-Adha and was carried out “by security personnel, including police officers and masked soldiers”.

“It was violent because the worshippers around him resisted, which caused tension,” the relative continued. Another relative reported “injuries among the Muslim worshippers during the arrest”.

Two days ago, a recording of a teaching by Imam Kindo was widely shared on social media.

In it, he denounced the adoption in March of a bill regulating the exercise of religious freedoms in Burkina Faso and called on the authorities to “reflect more deeply on the implications of their actions before acting”.

“Let everyone be wary and refrain from trying to ban prayers in public places. Whether you are a leader or a strongman, you have neither the strength nor the power of God,” he said.

A few hours after his arrest, hundreds of people demonstrated in Ouagadougou, demanding his release, according to residents.

The demonstration was dispersed with tear gas, according to a protester contacted by AFP, the Jenne Afrique reported.

The arrest of the Muslim cleric is happening at a time when the country has been at war with insurgents of jihadist groups for over a decade.