Thirty years may have passed, but the story of Gideon Akaluka still pierces the heart of every peace-loving Nigerian.
Gideon was a young husband, father, and businessman from Imo State, living peacefully in Sabon Gari, Kano — a place known for its vibrant mix of people from different parts of Nigeria. He was simply chasing a better life for his family.
Then came December 1995 — the month that changed everything. A simple household act by his wife, who unknowingly used a scrap of paper said to contain Qur’anic verses to wrap their baby’s waste, turned into a deadly rumour. Within hours, Gideon was accused of blasphemy, and the streets of Kano began to boil with anger.
To protect him, the police detained him. But even the walls of a police cell couldn’t save him. On December 26, a mob — including some soldiers — stormed the station, dragged Gideon out, and beheaded him in cold blood. They lifted his head on a stick and paraded it through the streets as if it were a trophy.
That dark day, Nigeria watched a husband and father murdered over a false accusation. His only “crime” was being in the wrong place at the wrong time — and belonging to the wrong faith.
The military regime of General Sani Abacha condemned the act. Some soldiers were tried and executed, but many still believe justice was never fully served. The pain lingers because Gideon was later proven innocent. He never desecrated the Qur’an.
His death remains a chilling reminder of:
⚫ How fragile our unity can be
⚫ How dangerous mob justice is
⚫ How easy it is for lies to destroy innocent lives
From Gideon Akaluka (1995) to Chioma Agbahime (2016) and Deborah Samuel (2022), the story has been the same — innocent Nigerians killed in the name of religion.
May Gideon’s memory continue to remind us that peace, tolerance, and justice are the true tests of our humanity.
