‘Executive recklessness’ — NBA asks police to halt enforcement of tinted glass permit policy

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has berated the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over its decision to reactivate enforcement of the suspended tinted glass permit policy.

On Monday, the NPF announced that enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy will resume on January 2, 2026, citing a surge in vehicle-related crimes.

In a statement signed by Afam Osigwe, its president, the NBA said the announcement “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”.

The NBA said the statement “amounts to executive recklessness” and portrays the police leadership as “lacking in respect for the court, the rule of law, and due process of law”.

Recalling events leading to the controversy, the NBA noted that the inspector general of police (IGP) introduced the tinted glass permit policy in April 2025, requiring motorists to obtain annual permits through an online platform, with enforcement dates shifted from June 1 to October 2.

According to the association, the policy was followed by “widespread reports of harassment, extortion, and civil rights violations, particularly against young people”.

On September 2, 2025, the NBA approached the federal high court in Abuja to challenge the legality of the policy, arguing that it was “unconstitutional, obnoxious, illegal, extortionate, and a threat to citizens’ rights and economic well-being”.

The association maintained that the motor tinted glass (prohibition) Act of 1991, under which the policy was introduced, “is a military-era decree that no longer meets the democratic thresholds of justification under the 1999 Constitution”.

The NBA further alleged that the policy is “a brazen revenue-generating drive by the police, which by law is not a revenue-generating organisation”, adding that it is “particularly worrisome that the fees are paid into the account of a private company”.

It also expressed concern that the proceeds would be paid into “a private bank account instead of the Treasury Single Account”, describing this as raising “serious concerns of transparency and corruption”.

The NBA also faulted the requirement for permit renewal, stating that it “has no legal basis”, and accused the police of “brazenly nullifying already issued permits”.

The association recalled that on October 3, 2025, a federal high court in Warri ordered parties to maintain the status quo and restrained the police from enforcing the policy pending the determination of an interlocutory application.

Following public outrage and allegations of continued enforcement, the IGP convened a meeting involving senior police officers, legal advisers and representatives of the NBA.

At that meeting, the NBA said it was agreed “that the enforcement of the policy will be immediately suspended to await the outcome of the matters in court and that the Police will direct its officers to cease and desist from further enforcement of the policy”.

The association said the IGP subsequently ordered that enforcement be suspended pending court pronouncements.

When the Abuja suit came up for hearing on December 12, 2025, Ayotunde Ogunleye, counsel to the police, informed the court of the agreement.

The NBA said the court accepted the representation “as a solemn assurance”, and on that basis struck out the motion for interlocutory injunction.

“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,” the NBA said.

The NBA called on the IGP to “immediately withdraw the statement issued by CSP Benjamin Hundeyin and halt all attempts to reactivate enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy pending the final determination of all related court actions”.

It also directed its branches and Human Rights Committee to intervene on behalf of affected citizens, stating that it would provide legal representation to anyone “harassed, arrested, whose movement is impeded, whose vehicle is impounded, or who is prosecuted by the Police” under the policy.

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