By Ishaya Ibrahim
The Tunji Braithwaite Foundation (TBF) will lead a March of Silence on Friday, June 26, from Ikoyi Prison to Tunji Braithwaite Park in Lagos to protest the condition of awaiting-trial inmates in Nigerian prisons.
The date also marks both the 10th anniversary of Dr. Tunji Braithwaite’s death and the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Lagos, TBF Executive Director Laolu Tunji Braithwaite said the march aims to break the silence around thousands of Nigerians held for years without trial.
“60 seconds of silence feels like an eternity. That is the power of silence. That is what awakening a child in detention sounds like. That is what waiting for justice sounds like. No one hears. No one cares,” Braithwaite said.
Braithwaite noted that 70% of people in Nigerian prisons are awaiting trial, according to data the Foundation obtained from the Nigerian Correctional Service. “Many remain in custody for 5, 7, or 10 years without their cases being called in court,” she said.
“Presumed innocent under Section 36 of our constitution, yet punished daily,” she added. “Imagine being arrested for not using the overhead bridge to cross the expressway, and being unable to pay a fine of just N20,000, then ending up spending 5 years in prison. This is a silence we must break.”
The Foundation argues that the system “effectively criminalises poverty.” A wealthy defendant can secure bail, Braithwaite said, while a poor person accused of a minor infraction “is swallowed by the prison system” due to lost case files, missing investigating officers, or unaffordable bail conditions.
Why Ikoyi Prison
TBF chose Ikoyi Prison as the starting point because of its “historic weight” and severe overcrowding. “Most of its inmates have not been convicted of any crime by a competent court of law. They are merely awaiting trial,” Braithwaite stated.
The UN Convention considers indefinite pretrial detention a form of torture, a position the Foundation echoed. “On the day when the world stands in support of victims of torture, we will stand in solidarity with the thousands unjustly incarcerated in our country’s prisons.”
The March of Silence
Participants will walk in silence from the gates of Ikoyi Prison to Tunji Braithwaite Park, wearing white T-shirts. Some will have black tape over their mouths to symbolise the voicelessness of detainees. No chants, slogans, banners, or placards will be used.
Braithwaite gave three reasons for the silence:
To honour the silence – “The inmates we advocate for have been effectively muted. Our silence is an act of deep empathy.”
To demand reflection – “A silent crowd moving through the city is a powerful symbol that demands internal reflection from all who witness it.”
To conserve strength for the truth – The silence will be broken at the park after two additional minutes of observance.
Breaking the Silence
At the park, the silence will end with short speeches from stakeholders outlining pathways for a “restorative, fair, and efficient justice system.”
The event will culminate in a formal petition to the Chief Judge of Lagos State with three prayers: strengthening access to justice, advancing justice sector reforms, and promoting humane correctional practices.
“This breaking of the silence will be a symbolic resurrection of civic consciousness,” Braithwaite said. “We will ensure that the cry for fair hearing resounds so loudly that it triggers far-reaching reforms in the criminal justice system.”
Punished Before Conviction
Chino Obasi, TBF Director of Communication, said when most of the prison population is awaiting trial, “we have a justice problem, not a prison problem,” which leads to punishment before conviction.