The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has instituted a lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, challenging the legality of the controversial tinted glass permit policy recently introduced by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
In April 2025, the IGP unveiled a policy mandating motorists with tinted windows to obtain annual permits through a newly launched digital portal. The move, according to the police, was anchored on the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991, a decree from the military era.
But in a statement issued on Friday, the NBA described the initiative as unconstitutional, alleging that it infringes on citizens’ rights and has already fueled harassment and extortion at police checkpoints.
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“Against the above backdrop, the Nigerian Bar Association, through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), has on Wednesday, September 2, 2025, instituted a public interest action before the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/182/2025 between the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. The Inspector General of Police & Anor, essentially challenging the legality of the tinted glass permit policy,” the association said.
The litigation, spearheaded by SPIDEL under the leadership of Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN) and its Public Interest Litigation Committee chaired by Olukunle Ogheneovo Edun (SAN), seeks to test the constitutionality of the regulation.
The NBA expressed concerns that payments for the permits are being funneled into a private account instead of the federal government’s Treasury Single Account, raising transparency and accountability issues.
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It also faulted the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act itself, warning that the law may not pass the constitutional test of being “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.”
Although the enforcement of the policy, initially slated for June 1, 2025, was extended to October 2, 2025, reports of misconduct by police officers enforcing the directive have persisted.
“The introduction and proposed enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy has raised several other genuine concerns, including the validity of the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act (Decree 1991), a military-era law under which the Police has sought refuge,” the NBA noted.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the case to a logical conclusion, insisting that the policy violates constitutional rights, including privacy, freedom of movement, and property ownership.