Shimite: Delta entrepreneurs demand for justice as case moves to Force Headquarters

More than a month after the sudden death of Shimite Bello Love (Nee Nwakalor), the Special Adviser to Delta State Governor on Trade and Export, the Delta State Police Command has yet to make public the result of the autopsy carried out on the deceased’s corpse.

Social media yesterday evening started trending on the matter, revealing that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has taken over the case following the family’s (Nwakalor) petition.

Efforts by this reporter to get latest information from the Command early this Monday morning failed as the message sent to Bright Edafe, a senior superintendent of Police (SP) and Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command was not responded to.

However, it was learnt that Edafe later responded to a question asked by another journalist, on the matter, confirming via an SMS that “the case has been transferred to Force Headquarters”

A statement trending on social media by Kimashinor Nwakalor-Imu, a barrister and Head, Nwakalor Family, stated that “the case involving the murder of Shimite Bello is currently under investigation by the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit following a formal petition to the IGP’s after what the family considered an untidy investigation by the Delta State Police command.

“The IGP’s Monitoring Unit has since taken over the case file from  Asaba command as well as a Pharmacist who administered both oral and intravenous to Shitime 24 hours before her death”.

He further alleged that her husband is presently on the run saying “Mr Love is presently on the run from the Police. The Asaba Police command who set him free cannot locate him as all his known lines have been switched off”,  he allegedly claimed.

It would be recalled that while the public was waiting for the outcome of the investigation by the Delta State Police Command, the burial arrangements of the deceased special adviser was rolled out by the family to hold towards the ending of next month (June) in her father’s compound at Ebu in Oshimili North LGA of the state.

The death, which was said to have occurred around 3:30 am on Easter Monday (April 21) at St Luke’s Hospital, Asaba, where she was rushed to, has continued to elicit reactions from the general public, who also want a thorough investigation into the cause of her death.

The business community is not left out as entrepreneurs, traders and exporters amongst others have continued to mourn her demise as well as call for justice to be done.

Gloria Umukotete, managing director, Glo Global Solutions Limited and Coordinator, Delta Exporters’ Cluster, in an interview with BusinessDay, stated, “I received the news of her death that Easter Monday with a huge shock. “She was full of life, and nobody in her widest imagination will ever envisage death near her.

“She was a visionary leader with the mindset of empowering women and youth, thereby eradicating poverty from the midst.

“Her death is indeed a great loss to me as an entrepreneur/exporter because of the huge vacuum she has left behind.

Let an unbiased/transparent investigation be carried out into her sudden death. Whoever is found liable for her sudden demise should be made to face the wrath of the law because nobody is above the law, and every life is precious, said Umukotete.

Also, Judith Nwachukwu, chairman, Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) who expressed shock, disbelief and heartbroken over the death, stated, Shimite was a friend, younger sister and business partner.

“NASME was in partnership on several projects, and we had seminars together just a few weeks before her demise. She was passionate about impacting the lives, entrepreneurs in Delta State.

Nwachukwu who said that the death was a personal lost to her added that to NASME, it is a great loss of project ongoing that would have affected many entrepreneurs in the state. The impact she had created is so huge that it would be difficult to put on her shoes because she was knowledgeable, experienced, innovative in the trade and export space, she said.

“Her expertise, personality, network, resource, and passion to help entrepreneurs package their products for export.

Her sudden death should be thoroughly investigated, and let justice be seen to be done for her soul to rest in peace, she said.

Daniel Anazia, president, Young Africans Leadership Initiative (YALI) Delta State Network, in a statement, stated, “Shimite’s passing was shocking and deeply painful. It feels like yesterday, back in March when we last spoke about the programme we were planning to host. I never imagined it would be our last conversation.

“I am yet to come to terms with her death. For us YALIans in Delta, we lost not just a mentor but a patron, a guiding light. She has constantly guided, advised and mentored me, especially on community engagement and sustainable development.

“At our event last year on Trade and Export, she shared invaluable insights on how young people can leverage their skills to grow their economies. I still remember, I’m in tears as I write, our last meeting before her ECOAction Summit held weeks before her death. She passionately shared her vision for a future driven by the Blue Economy, Green Economy and Brown Economy.

“A politician, yes, but first and foremost a technocrat. In a generation desperate for credible mentors, she was a shining example of what we aspire to become. Her loss is not just mine. It is a loss for YALIans, for Deltans and Nigeria.

“As we mourn, I unequivocally join in calling for an unbiased and transparent investigation into her death

Delta’s sun has been stolen. Justice must be done not just for her memory but for our healing, for the hope of a better Nigeria and a generation she so fiercely believed in, Anazia concluded.