The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has urged President Bola Tinubu to call the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to order, describing the planned resumption of enforcement of the suspended tinted glass permit policy from January 2, 2026, as an affront to the authority of the court.
NBA, which is the umbrella body of lawyers in the country, in a statement that was signed by its president, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, warned that issues surrounding the legality of the policy are currently a subject of litigation before the Federal High Court in Abuja, for which hearing had been concluded and judgement reserved.
It maintained that the IGP has a constitutional obligation to respect the judicial process and refrain from any action capable of pre-empting or undermining the court’s decision.
According to the NBA, its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) had, on September 2, 2025, instituted an action before the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025, between Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. Inspector General of Police & Anor, challenging the legality of the Tinted Glass Permit Policy.
It noted that the suit had, among other things, questioned the lack of constitutional or statutory authority vested in the Nigeria Police Force to levy fees or impose financial obligations on citizens under the guise of enforcing the policy.
“In challenging the legality and constitutionality of the policy because the NBA contends that the policy is unconstitutional, obnoxious, illegal, extortionate, and a threat to citizens’ rights and economic well-being, the NBA thus contends in the suit that:
“The Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991, under which the policy is premised, is a military-era decree that no longer meets the democratic thresholds of justification under Section 45 and other relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution;
“The National Assembly does not have the legislative competence to enact the law; therefore, the same cannot rightly be deemed a law properly made by the National Assembly.
“The policy is a brazen revenue-generating drive by the Nigeria Police Force, which by law is not a revenue-generating organisation. This is particularly worrisome, as the fees are paid into the account of a private company.
“The imposed levy for obtaining and renewing the permit adds to Nigeria’s ever-increasing layers of taxation, thereby portraying Nigeria as a difficult place to do business. The levy imposed financial burden and hardship on Nigerians struggling with economic hardship.
“The permit policy undermines Nigeria’s tax reforms, which will come into effect in January 2026, in that it will add to the multiplicity of taxes and taxing agencies in Nigeria, as well as the high corporate tax burden on businesses.
“Nigeria imports cars from abroad, and modern vehicles come with factory-fitted tinted glasses, yet the police discountenance this in the drive to generate revenue for themselves and a few individuals.
