…Cries out as household of Shimite alleges foul play
David Favour Love, husband to the late Shimite Winifred Love, Particular Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Commerce and Export, has introduced post-mortem outcomes debunking allegations of home violence and killing his spouse by means of poisoning.
Love, whereas briefing the media in Abuja introduced an post-mortem report from the Nnamdi Azikiwe College Instructing Hospital, Nnewi, stating the causes of loss of life to be Acute Left Ventricular Failure, Hypertensive Coronary heart Illness and aspiration pneumonitis.
That is at the same time as reactions from the household of the deceased proceed to allege that the late Shimite Love died beneath mysterious circumstances whereas accusing the husband/widower of locking her up and denying her entry to medical care.
BusinessDay recollects On Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, the information of the tragic loss of life of Shimite Bello, shook the Delta neighborhood and Nigeria as allegations of home violence, poisoning trended on numerous blogs.
Nonetheless, Love, whereas briefing the media in Abuja on Saturday, September 6, 2025, introduced a Marriage Certificates, from the Ministry of Inside, stating he legally married his spouse, the late Shimite Winifred Love on January 18th 2024, whom he had recognized for over twenty years.
Love, in what he described as setting the information straight, firmly declared his innocence, citing medical reviews, skilled police investigations, and years of marital historical past as proof in opposition to the allegations surrounding him.
Talking emotionally, he recalled his greater than two-decades-long relationship with Shimite, which blossomed from friendship into marriage sealed by each courtroom and conventional rites.
“We have been finest pals, companions, and legally wedded,” he stated, noting that their union was witnessed and sanctioned by her quick youthful brother.
He defined that Shimite had turn into estranged from elements of her prolonged household following long-standing disputes together with her stepbrother over property inheritance and marital decisions. “She had the precise to stay her life as she selected, and she or he selected to stay it with me,” he confused.
Based on him, the late Mrs. Love battled monumental office pressures that affected her psychological and bodily wellbeing, stating that regardless of her well being issues, she remained dedicated to her work, even personally financing a significant summit earlier than her sudden demise.
On non secular and emotional struggles, he stated the couple had sought prayers and steering from a number of clergy over time, however none have been out there throughout the ultimate disaster resulting in her passing.
Turning to the position of regulation enforcement, he counseled officers of the Delta State Police Command for dealing with the preliminary investigations professionally.
Nonetheless, he accused the Monitoring Unit of the Inspector Basic of Police (IGP) of “compromise and unprofessional conduct,” alleging they unlawfully launched his late spouse’s corpse and have withheld her cell phone, regardless of requests for its launch.
He additional alleged that sure neighbors, connived to deprive him of entry to his matrimonial residence and belongings after his spouse’s loss of life.
“These actions, supported by compromised parts throughout the Power authorized group, have denied me even the possibility to take inventory of what’s lacking in my very own home,” he stated.
The grieving husband additionally accused members of his spouse’s prolonged household of conducting an “unlawful burial” with out his consent, abducting their four-year-old daughter, and spreading damaging narratives in opposition to him regardless of the supply of post-mortem and toxicology reviews which he says cleared him of any wrongdoing.
He referred to as on the Inspector Basic of Police to self-discipline erring officers, launch his spouse’s private belongings to him, and shield his rights as her lawful partner beneath the Marriage Act.
He additionally urged the Delta State Authorities, led by Governor Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, to intervene impartially, insisting that the federal government should not allow “ethnic prejudice or household manipulation” in issues of justice.
The widower additionally warned that bloggers and media retailers who, in his phrases, “sustained calumny and defamation with out proof,” would face authorized motion.
“The justice system of Nigeria should not be compromised,” he stated. “The reality is out, and the post-mortem has spoken.”
In the meantime, reviews from the household of the deceased stated “48-year-old Shimite was discovered unresponsive in her Asaba residence on Easter Monday, foaming on the mouth.”
A member of the family revealed that her husband (Mr. David Favour Love) had allegedly locked her indoors all day, prompting concern from their maid and an emergency go to from her elder brother.
She was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital in Asaba, the place she was declared useless on arrival.
Studies had it that Mr. Love, her husband then, was arrested by the Delta State Police Command over allegations bordering on her loss of life.
Brilliant Edafe, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command nonetheless, advised BusinessDay that Love was not arrested however was given protecting custody because the household of the deceased was after his life following Shimite’s loss of life.
From April 21 when the incident was reported to the command, Edafe stated the police commenced thorough investigation to seek out out the reason for the loss of life, promising to make the report public as soon as the post-mortem end result was prepared.
Whereas the general public waited for the official announcement of the end result, it went virile on the social media by means of Love’s lawyer that Shimite died of unmanaged hypertension and never of poison or homicide as was alleged by the household.
Edafe had additionally advised BusinessDay weeks after, that Love who was beneath their protecting custody was allowed to go as there was no hazard.
From the post-mortem, he stated there was no proof that the deceased was murdered or poisoned because the investigation was based mostly on science.
“There was no bodily hurt or harm on her to indicate that she was killed.”
The burial programme of Shimite was fastened for June this yr. In between, the household dragged the matter to Abuja, demanding for the re-arrest of Mr. Love even because the Delta State Police Command was accused of doing a shabby job on the investigation of the loss of life of the deceased. With this improvement, many thought the burial of Shimite would wait till the Power headquarters concludes on the matter.
June ending, the burial held as deliberate and the stays of her physique was laid to relaxation in her father’s compound at Ebu Neighborhood in Oshimili North Native Authorities Space of Delta State.
She was buried not as Shimite Love however Shimite Bello, a reputation she was formally recognized with earlier than Love got here into her life. Even until her loss of life, not many knew she modified from Bello to Love. Some folks nonetheless addressed her as Bello.
Now, after the burial, Oreva Amata, a nephew who addressed Shimite as his second mum had this to say, “Now that my 2nd Mother has been given a befitting burial in heartwarming ceremonies in Abuja and Delta in addition to a thanksgiving service to God for a race very nicely ran and stuffed with real affect, it’s time to expose this fraudulent creature…for his evil deeds and his makes an attempt to strategically manipulate public opinion and steal what just isn’t his which he has clearly been concentrating on. ”
In abstract of the ten factors he listed, Amata stated Love has been attempting to steal Shimite’s property after he killed her and tried to destroy her in any other case unblemished repute.
“Observe this carefully, I wish to remind you that there isn’t another suspect on this case. It’s David Favour Love’s phrases vs David Favour Love’s actions. Shimite Bello is now useless and unable to defend herself.
“His plan has all the time been to do it this manner the place he can reference an post-mortem/toxicology report.
Amata dropped a poser to justify his factors, “In case your mom was asthmatic and having an assault after which locked her in a room the place he denied her entry to her cellphone, to be unable to achieve anybody, denied her entry to her inhaler, really watched her gasp for air, after which die.
“Then, tried to hurry her to the hospital after he was certain she was useless. Would you say that she was murdered? Would the medical reviews present that she died from Bronchial asthma? However what’s the actual motive why she died? That is evil technique and must be uncovered.”
