ABUJA: The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has initiated legal action against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, challenging the legality of the controversial motor tinted glass permit policy introduced earlier this year.
In April 2025, the IGP announced a new policy requiring all vehicle owners to obtain annual tinted glass permits from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), subject to a specified fee. A digital platform was launched to facilitate permit applications.
The policy was initially scheduled for enforcement starting June 1, 2025, but this was later extended to October 2, 2025.
However, during the Nigerian Bar Association’s National Executive Council (NEC) pre-conference meeting on August 23, 2025, the NBA resolved to legally contest the policy, citing concerns over its legality and infringement on citizens’ constitutional rights.
In a statement released on Friday, the NBA described the tinted glass permit policy as unlawful, emphasizing that it violates fundamental rights such as the right to dignity, privacy, freedom of movement, and ownership of movable property guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution.
The NBA, through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), filed a public interest suit on September 2, 2025, at the Federal High Court Abuja, challenging the legality of the tinted glass permit policy, the statementread.
The association raised critical questions about the statutory basis for the policy, pointing out that the Nigeria Police Force relies on the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act (Decree 1991), a military era law which may not meet constitutional standards in a democratic society.
Other contentious issues include the absence of any provision for permit renewal or fee payment under the 1991 Act, and the fact that payments are being made into a private company’s account (PARKWAY PROJECTS Account No: 4001017918), raising transparency concerns.
The account is not domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria nor linked to the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account.
The NBA-SPIDEL’s litigation effort is led by Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN, Chairman of the Transition Committee, and Olukunle Ogheneovo Edun, SAN, Chair of the Public Interest Litigation Committee.
Despite the postponed enforcement date, reports have surfaced of police harassment and extortion of motorists at checkpoints, heightening fears about abuse of citizens’ rights.
The NBA’s legal challenge seeks to protect Nigerians from what it considers an unjustified and illegal imposition by the police
One of the key resolutions of the NBA’s National Executive Council at its August 23,2025 meeting was to challenge the legality of the Nigeria Police Force tinted glass permit policy in court.
The policy mandates Nigerian motorists to apply for and obtain annual tinted glass permits via a digital portal managed by a private vendor, with no clear indication that collected funds will go into the Federation Account.
The enforcement date was initially June 1 but was extended to October 2, 2025. Nevertheless, reports of harassment and extortion have continued.
The NBA argues that the policy violates constitutional rights and lacks statutory foundation. Payments to a private account raise serious transparency concerns.
The NBA-SPIDEL instituted a public interest litigation on September 2, 2025, to challenge the policy’s legality and pursue the matter to conclusion.
