Shimite Bello Love, a Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Trade and Export, has died under troubling circumstances, with reports suggesting she may have been poisoned.
Popularly known as “Madam Sabificate,” Shimite passed away on Easter Sunday. According to family sources, her husband, Pastor David Favour Love, has been arrested following suspicions surrounding her death. Witnesses said she was found foaming at the mouth before being rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital in Asaba, where she was confirmed dead.
Shimite had a long career in public service, including her time as Executive Secretary of the Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency under former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. She also led the Quintessential Group, which focused on agriculture and solid minerals, and in 2023, she contested the Oshimili North seat in the Delta State House of Assembly primaries under the PDP.
A family member said Shimite was full of life the day before she died. “She was vibrant when we spoke on Saturday. But on Sunday, she didn’t reply to my Easter message. That wasn’t like her,” the relative said.
Trouble reportedly started when her maid called Shimite’s brother, saying she had been locked in all day. When he got to the house, he found Shimite unconscious with foam at her mouth. Despite rushing her to the hospital, it was too late.
Family members also claim that Pastor David had isolated Shimite from her loved ones and taken control of her life and property. “Since he came into her life, everything changed,” a relative said. “He monitored her closely, stopped her from going to work, and changed the ownership of some of her assets to his name.”