Cites Court Order and Rule of Law
By Ajewole Joshua |ABNews| December 18, 2025
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly faulted the Nigeria Police Force over its reported plan to resume the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy, describing the move as unconstitutional, unlawful and a direct affront to the rule of law.
Speaking while addressing journalists recently, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the association was alarmed by a police notice indicating that the policy may be reactivated from January 2026, despite an ongoing court case and a subsisting agreement to suspend its implementation.
Osigwe recalled that the NBA had earlier challenged the policy in court after concluding that it lacked constitutional backing. According to him, a Federal High Court sitting in Warri ordered all parties to maintain the status quo, an order which subsequently led to an understanding between the NBA and the Nigeria Police Force to suspend enforcement pending the determination of the suit.
“The attempt to revive this policy while the matter is still before the court is not only disturbing but also a clear disregard for judicial authority,” Osigwe said.
The NBA president argued that the policy has no valid legal foundation, insisting that even the National Assembly lacks the constitutional power to enact the law upon which the police are relying. He added that, at best, the police regulation on tinted glass is ultra vires—beyond the powers of the force—and therefore unlawful.
Osigwe further accused the police of turning law enforcement into a revenue-generating venture, stressing that the core mandate of the police is to protect lives and property, not to impose levies on citizens.
He expressed concern over reports that applicants are required to pay fees into private accounts, a development he described as opaque and prone to abuse. “There is no clarity on how these fees are fixed, who controls the funds, or how the money is spent. This raises serious questions about transparency and accountability,” he said.
The NBA also queried why existing, valid tinted glass permits issued by the police in the past would suddenly become invalid if security was truly the motivation behind the policy.
According to Osigwe, the policy is likely to empower police officers on the roads to harass and extort motorists, particularly during the festive season when travel is high and Nigerians are already grappling with severe economic hardship.
He warned that the reactivation of the policy could worsen public distrust in law enforcement and further strain police–citizen relations.
The NBA president urged Nigerians to speak out against the policy, insisting that any attempt to proceed with collections while the case is pending in court amounts to a “brazen and unlawful act.”
“The police must respect the rule of law, honour their undertakings to the court, and focus on their constitutional duty of protecting lives, not profiting from the suffering of citizens,” Osigwe said.
He reaffirmed the NBA’s commitment to pursuing the legal challenge to its conclusion and to defending the rights of Nigerians against policies it considers unconstitutional and oppressive.
