Late General Jemitola’s inheritance disputes: Police in eyes of the storm
By Tony Ovbosa
An army Major General, friend to the late General Chris Jemitola has disclosed that the military authorities was considering a solution to the crisis tearing the family of the late General apart, which had been encouraged by police operatives.
Speaking anonymously, the General said the police have played a role not worthy of a law enforcement agency, hence the army may have to come in to mediate in the squabble over the late General’s properties.
According to him, “If the policemen from the Force Intelligence Department (FID) and another Unit of the office of the Inspector General Police (IGP), did not carry out the invasion and offensive search of the matrimonial residence of the late General Christopher Jemitola, to bully his widow, Mrs. Safiya Jemitola, the quarrel over his inheritance wouldn’t become a subject of public scandal, that had exposed the once-likeable family of the late army general, who was a peaceful man that detested negative publicity.”
The contending scandal rocking the late General’s family followed the action of Mr. Caleb Jemitola, the complainant, who instead of carrying out a simple court service with few policemen, went with a crowd of policemen and others, to enforce the order, in a rowdiness that has caused public embarrassment.
Mrs Safiya Jemitola, the late general’s widow, has written a protest letter through her lawyer, Nureini Jimoh SAN, to the Inspector General of Police, in condemnation of the alleged invasion of her matrimonial home and continued police persecution.
Recall, the court had in a motion ex-parte granted on 27th November, 2025 in Suit No: PHC/ABJ/CS/2459/2025), gave the petitioner, Caleb, access to his late father’s house where the respondent, stepmother, Mrs. Safiya Jemitola resides. However, Caleb went with a battalion of policemen.
When the matter came up for a hearing few days ago, judge of a Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Binta Nyako rebuked Caleb and his lawyer for such action.
The order followed an originating motion filed earlier on 17th November, 2025 by Ama Etuwewe SAN on human rights grounds, wherein Caleb Jemitola and his sister, Iman pleaded with the court to grant them access to the home occupied by Mrs. Safiya Mamman-Jemitola.
Caleb had sued Safiya, General Adamu Baba Abubakar (rtd), the Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army and others, in a manner that shocked the army authorities.
It’s worthy of note that in an earlier suit against Caleb and others, the court had granted order to maintain status quo. Justice Chizoba N. Oji, in a substantive suit filed on 12th November, 2025, ordered all parties in the suit to maintain status quo, including that Caleb Jemitola stayed away from his father’s residence until determination of the suit that was adjourned to February 10th to 13th of 2026.
The defendants in the suit are Caleb Jemitola, Dr. John Idahosa, Mr. Segun Mecadese, Abodurin Peter Kayode, a Probate Registry of an Abuja High Court, premised on alleged illegal declaration of a purported Will of the late General
However, Caleb is alleged to have discarded this initial orders of the court granted by Justice Chizoba to file an ex-parte motion, which he promptly acted upon while the conniving with the police.
It was gathered that greed and covetousness were the main cause of the crises in the Jemitola’s household.
The estranged wife, Ms Josephine Oki (formerly Mrs Josephine Jemitola), is being fingered as one who couldn’t manage the after-death affairs of the very man for whom she had two children – Caleb and Iman.
Late General Jemitola was said to have divorced Caleb’s mother, Ms Josephine Oki, following a protracted marital trouble while accusing her of “reckless spending, huge borrowing and unruly behaviour.”
It was after the separation that Jemitola got married to Safiya, his now surviving wife.
The General stated further: “When Chris Jemitola passed on, there were bodily clashes that she (Josephine) took to Safiya in her former matrimonial home, where her two children still have main stake. Why set confusion into a household partly owned by your chilldren and for a man you once claimed to love, to the extent that you bore for him children?” he exclaimed, adding “All we are witnessing is a ruthless scramble for my late friend’s property and moves to eject Safiya, his widow, from the matrimonial home. It wouldn’t be shocking as it was expected to us, friends and blood relations of Chris Jemitola, that his ex-wife would behave so awfully after his death. If I may ask, what are the General Jemitola’s inheritances that surpass the happiness of her children? I ask this because I see no meaning in the goading of her children, and even getting personally involve in shoddy police and court litigation businesses, instead of peaceful means? Who is advising her to go astray?
When contacted for comment, Ms Josephine Oki and her son, Caleb Jemitola, who are in the central of the controversies, declined press interviews.
