The Ondo state police command says it has arrested Lamidi Jeremiah popular known as Ijapa meta one year after over his alleged involvement in the killing of a suspected Yahoo boy in 2023.
The police public relations officer Funmilayo Odunlami stated this on Tuesday on a WhatsApp group.
Odunlami said “Finally, we don catch IJAPA Meta.”
Lamidi Jeremiah had recently opened up that he did not see any tortoise as he claimed in a trending video in 2023, saying that he cried many times after his video trended online last year, saying ijapa meta( Three Tortoises)
Last year, while answering questions from newsmen, he said he saw some mysterious things at the accident scene that claimed one life at Ijoka area of Akure, the Ondo state capital
According to the video, he said he saw three tortoise, small coffin and soap in the car of the young man that drove the car that rammed into some people in the area.
Since then, many have used the video for fun and as stickers on social media.
However while speaking on Erikanmi Programme with Oluwatobi Oladipupo (Superlight) on Crest Fm Akure, Jeremiah said he did not see anything, as he overheard from people that they saw those things, which he reported to the newsmakers.
He said the mob had killed the young man before he granted an interview to Journalists, where he was explaining what happened, stressing that his interview is not the cause of the pandemonium.
According to him, he overheard from people that the Young man that drove the car told some passers-by that he must kill some people that day.
Jeremiah who condemned the jungle justice, said his words were misquoted.
He explained that he was looking for work as bricklayer that day before he saw many people at the scene, where he joined them.
” I don’t have anything to do that day, I was looking for work as a builder, when I heard the noise of people around the scene of the accident. I joined them to see what happened, I was part of the people that helped victims of the accident to the hospital, before I returned to the scene, they have killed the young man and burnt his vehicle even with what they said they saw inside his car.
It was after all these that I went to the nearby radio station to call Journalists, I was not the only person that spoke that day but I don’t know why they cut only my own video?
I cried, even some people thought I have been jailed but I thank God for everything “
When the host of the Programme, asked if he regretted his actions, the new cleric said
“Yes, I can’t do such again, even if I need to talk, I will do that with wisdom. I left Akure in the middle of the night and went to a nearby town where I started a seminary course.
I have learnt a lot now and I can’t say anything anyhow again, my course at the seminary opened my eyes to many things.
After the course, I was ordained as pastor, and I am now pastoring a church. It has been a time of renewal for me. I have learnt a lot” he added.
