Imam Bakawsu Fofana |
Gambian
outspoken Muslim cleric, Imam Bakawsu Fofana is reportedly arrested on Thursday
by officials of the National Intelligence Agency, the NIA, family sources told The
Voice newspaper on Sunday.
“Imam
Bakawsu Fofana left his home on Thursday 31st May, 2012 to attend a
naming ceremony when the NIA came to pick him up and whisked him away along
with one of his disciples (Talibe),” the source said. “He is being held at the
NIA headquarters in Banjul.”
“We
prayed Ashr (5pm) prayer at the NIA and that was when the NIA decided to release
me. They asked me to take along Imam Bakawsu’s belongings,” said the disciple who
did not want to give his identity.
“The
NIA did not tell us the reason behind the arrest and we cannot tell what he is
being through. We’ve not have access to him since,” he said.
His
arrest and subsequent detention followed a heated nationality jibe with the
Imam of State House Mosque, Abdoulie Fatty.
“This
is an unforgivable attack on Bakawsu and it has left us surprised and
frustrated,” said an “angry Talibe”, who demands the scholar’s unconditional
release. “We remain faithfully to Allah and left everything in his hand as he
is the supreme command of all judge and the mighty,” said another disciple.
Many
of his family members from his native Village of Jarra Sankuya and followers
gathered on Sunday at the cleric’s house at Sanchaba in solidarity with the
venerable Imam’s family.
The
Imam’s preaching style has been greeted by opponents as un-Islamic and last
year, he was banned from preaching on radio and his own mosque. His records
selling in the market were also banned.
Free
expression watchdogs said the move was politically motivated and was a
violation of free expression.
Thursday’s arrest is yet to be confirmed by the
state security.
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