Mrs Shimite Bello Love (née Nwakalo), Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Trade and Export, has died under circumstances that have raised serious suspicions and controversy.

Popularly known as Madam Sabificate, Shimite reportedly died from poisoning on Easter Sunday. Family sources informed SaharaReporters that her husband, Pastor David Favour Love, has been arrested by the police following allegations of poisoning. Witnesses stated that she was foaming at the mouth before her death.

Shimite was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in Asaba for emergency treatment, where she was later declared dead upon arrival.

She previously contested for the Oshimili North constituency seat in the Delta State House of Assembly during the 2023 PDP primaries and had also served as the Executive Secretary of the Delta State Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency during Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration. Additionally, she was the Group President/CEO of the Quintessential Group, a conglomerate comprising NGOs, social enterprises, and companies operating in agriculture and solid minerals.

A family member, who wished to remain anonymous, said that Shimite was in good health just a day before her death. “I spoke with her for over an hour on Saturday. She was vibrant and shared details about a meeting she had attended. There was nothing wrong with her,” the source said. “On Sunday, I sent her Easter messages, but she didn’t reply, which was unusual.”

According to the source, alarms were raised when Shimite’s maid contacted her elder brother, expressing concerns that her husband had locked her in the house all day. “Her brother rushed over and found her inside the house, already foaming at the mouth. He took her to the hospital, but she was declared dead on arrival. The police were immediately notified, and her husband was arrested.”

Family members allege that Shimite’s husband had isolated her from loved ones and tightly controlled her movements. “Since he came into her life, he cut everyone off. Her brother couldn’t even visit. He wouldn’t let her go to the office and was always following her. Even the names on all her properties in Abuja and elsewhere were changed to his name. We believe she was manipulated—hypnotized, even,” a family source stated.

“If she were not hypnotized, what kind of woman would allow her husband to follow her everywhere and not see anything wrong with that? Your husband would lock you in and not allow you to go to the office? Whenever you tried to discuss certain things with Shimite, she would say, ‘Don’t worry, my husband is a pastor. He’s my spiritual father. He sees everything.’ Unfortunately, Shimite learned the hard way. How could a special adviser to a governor just die like that?”

Sources close to the family described Pastor David as “overprotective” and “jealous,” suggesting he felt intimidated by Shimite’s prominence and beauty. “The man had nothing before meeting her. He only came to drain her. It’s heartbreaking.”

Efforts to reach the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, were unsuccessful, as his mobile phone was unreachable at the time of this report. Meanwhile, Shimite’s body has been deposited in the mortuary as police investigations into her death continue.