The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over its decision to resume enforcement of tinted glass permits for motorists across the country. The legal body described the initiative as unconstitutional, unlawful, and an attempt to extort Nigerians under the guise of regulation.
Through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), the NBA stressed that the police lack any constitutional basis to demand renewal fees or impose new levies on vehicle owners. It accused the force of turning itself into a revenue agency rather than focusing on tackling insecurity.
Olukunle Edun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Chairman of the NBA’s Public Interest Litigation Committee, issued a strong statement:
“We shall invoke the powers of the court to ensure that the Nigeria Police Force does not trample on the rights of Nigerians. Any citizen who is harassed by the police in the purported enforcement of the illegal tinted glass permit should feel free to contact any of the NBA branches.”
He revealed that the Human Rights Committees across 130 NBA branches nationwide would offer pro bono legal services to victims of harassment. According to him, internal projections suggest that police officers could generate up to ₦3 billion within a single month through the questionable exercise.
okay.ng reports that the legal body has already filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja—case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025—challenging the legality of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Decree 1991. The association insists that the decree contradicts the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Supporting the suit, NBA lawyer Godspower Eroga swore in an affidavit alleging that the force had directed funds into a private account—Parkway Projects Account Number 4001017918—instead of remitting them into the government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA). He also noted that many modern vehicles come with factory-installed tinted windows, making the policy impractical.
NBA-SPIDEL expressed outrage after Justice O. A. Ogunbowale of the National Industrial Court had his vehicle impounded in Asaba, Delta State, on the first day of enforcement. The body described the incident as “an embarrassing and avoidable situation.”
The association emphasized:
“The Nigeria Police Force is not a revenue-generating agency of the Federal Government.”
It further called on the judiciary to take urgent measures to protect citizens’ rights, arguing that a proactive judicial order could have prevented the crisis.
