Tinted permit: NBA moves against IG on Jan 2 crackdown

The Nigerian Bar Association has warned that it will be forced to initiate committal proceedings against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, should they go ahead to resume the enforcement of tinted glass permit for vehicles on January 2.

In a statement on Tuesday, NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN) said the enforcement is barred by an existing court order and that disobedience could result in imprisonment for contempt.

“The press release dated December 15, 2025, issued by Hundeyin, announcing reactivation of the suspended tinted glass permit policy with effect from 2nd January 2026, has once again confirmed the sad reality that the Nigeria Police Force, despite being the foremost law enforcement agency in Nigeria, continues to exhibit a troubling disregard for the rule of law and the due process it is constitutionally mandated to uphold,” Osigwe said.

He added that the announcement contradicts an October agreement between the NBA and the IGP, under which enforcement was paused pending the outcome of a suit challenging the policy.

The NBA argued that the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991, under which the policy is premised, is a military-era law that “does not meet democratic and constitutional standards.”

It insists that the policy is “unconstitutional, illegal, and extortionate,” adding that its resumption would “initiate disorder and extortion, given the Nigeria Police’s long and sordid history of extortion, bribery, harassment, intimidation, and extra-judicial killings.”

Citing court proceedings, the NBA said: “Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025 came up for hearing on Friday, 12th December 2025, before Honourable Justice M. S. Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“During proceedings, Chief Ayotunde Ogunleye (SAN), informed the court of the agreement reached between the NBA and the IGP suspending enforcement of the policy. On the strength of that representation, which the court accepted as a solemn assurance, the Motion for Interlocutory Injunction was struck out.

“It is, therefore, deeply disturbing that barely one working day after the court relied on the undertaking of the defendants’ counsel, a contradictory statement emerged from the Nigeria Police Force announcing a reactivation of enforcement. This volte-face represents a reckless overreach, a contemptuous disregard for the authority of the Court, and a serious assault on institutional integrity,” Osigwe said.

The NBA, however, said it was ready to provide legal representation to any motorist harassed by the police over tinted glass permit.

“The NBA hereby directs all NBA branches and the NBA Human Rights Committee to immediately intervene and provide legal representation to any Nigerian who is harassed, arrested, whose movement is impeded, whose vehicle is impounded, or who is prosecuted by the Police on account of the alleged violation of this unlawful tinted glass permit policy.

“The NBA will not allow citizens to be subjected to intimidation or abuse under a policy currently before the courts,” Osigwe said.

However,  the Nigeria Police Force has vowed to resumed the enforcement, insisting ir was necessitated by escalating security threats, including armed robbery and kidnapping linked to vehicles with unauthorised tinted glass.

Force spokesperson Hundeyin said the previous suspension was voluntary, not court-mandated, and aimed at giving Nigerians time to regularise documentation:

“However, we later had a meeting with the NBA, where the IGP decided to take the path of care, listening and concern, and consequently directed that the tinted glass permit policy be suspended. That suspension was not based on any court order. It was based on the Nigeria Police Force being responsible and responsive to the yearnings of the people, and responsive to the appeal by the NBA. When we announced that suspension, there was no time frame attached to it. In fact, we hoped that the court case would have reached a logical conclusion within that period.”

Hundeyin cited a recent security incident to justify resumption:

“Just two weeks ago in Edo State, the police attempted to stop a Lexus SUV with fully tinted windows. The occupants refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued. When the vehicle was eventually stopped, it veered to a corner. As the police approached, the occupants opened fire on the officers. One officer died instantly—an inspector of police. They were able to do this easily because the vehicle was fully tinted. From the outside, you could not see that they were armed. This, and many other cases, underscore the issue. The mandate of the police is to protect life and property. We will not fold our arms and watch things degenerate.”

On the policy’s fees, Hundeyin explained: “This system is entirely online through a secure website. To operate a website or database that stores confidential information—such as phone numbers, NINs, home addresses, and dates of birth—you need additional layers of security. These systems require ongoing maintenance. That is what the fees are for—to run and sustain the database. It is not a money-making venture or a revenue-generating drive. It is about ensuring safety and security for Nigerians.”

He added: “You can see that the website is a government website—posap.gov.ng. If anything were illegal, it would not carry a .gov.ng extension. The Federal Government itself created the website. All aspects of the system—the process, from beginning to end—were ratified by the government before it was launched.”