By National Record
THE CENTRAL Planning Committee (CPC), in conjunction with the family of the late Raphael Ikyav (popularly known as Spanner), has announced a change in the venue for his first wake-keeping ceremony.
Well-informed sources said security concerns may have influenced the change in the burial arrangements.
The event, initially scheduled to hold at his residence, opposite Oxnet Water in Wurukum, Makurdi, on May 1, 2025, will now take place at a different location.
In a statement issued by the Nongov APC Media Team, the CPC confirmed the adjustment but did not disclose the reasons behind it. The new venue will be announced later.
However, the second wake-keep remains unchanged and will proceed as planned on May 2, 2025, at Agenke Mbashiov, Saghev, in Guma LGA of Benue State.
Spanner, a former chairman of the Wurukum Market Taskforce and a prominent youth leader in the Nongov APC, was allegedly killed by rival cultists last week.
His death triggered a wave of reprisal attacks, resulting in seven fatalities near his Makurdi residence last Sunday.
A well-known political figure in Benue State, Spanner had strong ties to several prominent politicians, particularly from Guma LGA.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the recent violence linked to his death.
