Addis Ababa — Oromia police have detained Ethiopian tallest man, Negewo Jimma, in Meki town, East Shoa zone, since Saturday 10 December 2022, Negewo's family confirmed to Addis Standard.

Negewo Jima was detained from a hotel in Meki town by members of the local police and is since held at a detention center located in woreda 03, according to a family member who asked to remain anonymous. The police did neither explain the reason for his arrest, nor brought him before court since then, the family member added.

Prior to his detention, there were protests in many towns and cities, including schools and university compounds across Oromia following the killing of civilians in East Wollega zone of Oromia regional state. Negewo took it to his Facebook page denouncing the killings, which the family member suspects to be the reason he is detained.

"He is not a politician, and he has no affiliation with any political parties. The only suspicion I have is that, he has been denouncing the attacks carried out against the Oromo people in [East] Wellega [Zone]. He dispatched messages condemning the killings of civilians through his Facebook page. He posted photos of injured civilians," he said.

Negewo, 2 meters and 25 centimeters, become popular for his height and appeared on various television programs and social media platforms over the past years, and he was later recognized as Ethiopia's tallest man by Ethiopia based African Book of Records.

Negewo was a student and interrupted his schools to receive treatment as he developed critical medical case. He is a resident of Meki town but often travels to Addis Abeba to visit his friends there, according to the family member.

Addis Standard's attempts to get a comment on his arrest from Meki town police was unsuccessful.