The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has warned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, against proceeding with the planned enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy scheduled to resume on January 2, 2026, insisting that the issue is still before the courts.
In a statement signed by its president, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), the association urged President Bola Tinubu to rein in the police leadership, describing the announcement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, as a blatant disregard for judicial authority.
The NBA disclosed that its Section on Public Interest and Development Law filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 2, 2025, challenging the legality of the policy. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025, questions the constitutional and statutory basis for the Nigeria Police Force to impose fees or other financial obligations on citizens under the policy.
According to the association, the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991, on which the policy is founded, is a military-era decree that fails to meet constitutional standards under Section 45 and other provisions of the 1999 Constitution. It further argued that the National Assembly lacked the legislative competence to enact the law, rendering the policy invalid.
The NBA cautioned that enforcing the policy would expose motorists to extortion, harassment, and intimidation, citing past conduct of law enforcement officers. It also raised transparency concerns, noting that payments for tinted glass permits were reportedly directed into a private account rather than the Treasury Single Account.
The association recalled that on October 3, 2025, the Federal High Court in Warri ordered all parties in a related matter to maintain the status quo, effectively restraining the police from enforcing the policy pending the determination of an interlocutory application. It added that following public backlash, the police had agreed during a meeting with NBA representatives to suspend enforcement until the court reached a final decision.
Expressing shock at the police’s announcement to resume enforcement, the NBA described the move as “executive recklessness” and a breach of due process. It warned that contempt proceedings would be initiated against the Inspector General of Police and the Force Spokesperson if the policy is enforced.
The association further directed all its branches and the NBA Human Rights Committee to immediately intervene and provide legal assistance to any individual harassed, arrested, obstructed, or prosecuted by the police over alleged violations of the policy.
The NBA stressed that counsel to the police had given an undertaking in open court to await judicial determination, noting that any contrary action would amount to overreaching the court and undermining the rule of law. It cited the Supreme Court’s decision in Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986) 1 NWLR (Pt. 18) 621 in support of its position.
The association concluded by calling on President Tinubu to intervene, warning that resuming enforcement would not only undermine judicial authority but also worsen the financial burden on citizens already grappling with economic hardship.