By Nkechi Eze
The Nigeria Police Force has moved decisively to set the record straight on the ongoing controversy surrounding the Motor Vehicle Tinted Glass Permit Policy, firmly rejecting claims of illegality, revenue motivation, or contempt of court, while reaffirming its commitment to the rule of law, public safety and due process.
Responding to recent public commentary credited to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, the Force said the narrative being promoted in the public space was misleading and failed to reflect the legal and security realities underpinning the policy. In an official signed statement, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, stressed that the Nigeria Police Force remains a law-abiding institution that operates strictly within the confines of the Constitution, extant statutes and valid court orders.
According to the statement, the Force, under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, has neither acted nor intends to act in contempt of court. Respect for judicial authority and adherence to due process, it noted, remain non-negotiable pillars of police governance and command responsibility.
The Police clarified that the regulation of tinted vehicle glass is not an arbitrary or discretionary policy, but one firmly rooted in law. Contrary to claims attributed to the NBA President, the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, is an Act of the National Assembly and not a military decree. The statement explained that Section 2(3)(a) of the Act clearly vests the Inspector-General of Police with the statutory authority to issue tinted glass permits, while Section 1(2) requires applicants to demonstrate legitimate security or health-related reasons.
The Force emphasised that the law exists primarily to address serious public safety concerns, noting that heavily tinted vehicles have been repeatedly used to facilitate crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism and other violent offences by concealing identities and movements.
Dismissing suggestions that the policy is revenue-driven, the Police stated unequivocally that the Nigeria Police Force is not a revenue-generating organisation. It acknowledged, however, that the Force is empowered by law to receive funds that accrue incidentally in the course of discharging its statutory responsibilities, a position expressly recognised under Section 26(1)(f) of the Police Act, 2020 (as amended).
To balance accessibility for legitimate applicants with national security imperatives, the statement recalled that the Federal Government approved the Police Specialized Services Automation Project, which received Federal Executive Council approval in July 2022. The project, implemented through a lawful Public-Private Partnership arrangement authorised by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission Act, introduced an automated, nationwide system for processing tinted glass permits.
Under the new framework, applications are submitted online, subjected to security vetting and approved strictly in line with the law. Administrative fees paid by applicants, the Police said, are applied solely to sustaining the technology infrastructure, data security systems and workflow architecture supporting the process, and do not amount to revenue generation by the Force.
The Police also strongly refuted claims that payments are made into a “private account” operated by Parkway Projects Limited. Describing the allegation as entirely false, the statement explained that Parkway Projects is a Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed payment service provider engaged by the Federal Government to collect payments for the Vehicle Tint Permit Project, in the same manner as platforms such as Remita. What was described as a “bank account number,” the Force clarified, is merely a transaction reference used for reconciliation and settlement into designated government channels.
While acknowledging that some motorists may desire tinted glass for privacy, aesthetics or protection from sunlight, the Police warned that indiscriminate use of heavily tinted vehicles has undermined traffic surveillance, aided criminal concealment and hampered intelligence-led policing. The enhanced permit system, it said, was designed to standardise applications, improve vetting, eliminate extortion-prone bottlenecks and introduce security innovations previously absent from the process.
The Force recalled that enforcement of the policy was earlier voluntarily suspended following engagements with NBA leadership and public appeals, stressing that the decision was an act of institutional restraint and goodwill, not the result of any court order. It noted that judgment has been reserved in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025, and assured that it would not take any step capable of undermining judicial outcomes.
On the question of enforcement, the Police stated that recent communications were intended to give advance public notice for operational planning, subject always to subsisting court directives and further guidance from the courts. It added that while it remains open to constructive engagement to avoid misinterpretation, it would not devote valuable time to what it described as ignorant and mischievous claims aimed at courting limelight under the guise of public advocacy.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no court has issued a restraining order against the Nigeria Police Force on this matter,” the statement declared, adding that an application for interim injunction was outrightly refused by a Federal High Court sitting in Warri.
Against the backdrop of Nigeria’s prevailing security challenges, many of which the Police said are worsened by the abuse of tinted vehicles, the Force maintained that it cannot abdicate its constitutional responsibility. It further noted that only a small percentage of motorists use tinted glass, arguing that the security of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians cannot be compromised to protect narrow or elitist interests.
The Inspector-General of Police nonetheless assured the public that enforcement, where lawfully undertaken, would be professional, measured and rights-compliant. He reiterated that extortion, harassment or abuse of authority by any police officer would not be tolerated, warning that offenders would face severe disciplinary sanctions, while cautioning against using individual misconduct to malign the institution as a whole.
While recognising the Nigerian Bar Association as a critical stakeholder in the justice system, the Police expressed concern over public narratives that suggest institutional lawlessness or bad faith, describing them as inaccurate and unhelpful. The Force also disclosed awareness of reports that a fresh suit may have been instituted at a Delta State High Court despite the pendency of existing cases, noting that it had not been served with any processes and would respond appropriately upon service.
Reaffirming its position, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, reassured Nigerians of the Force’s unyielding commitment to professionalism, transparency, accountability and the protection of fundamental rights, while calling for calm, responsible public discourse and sustained respect for judicial processes as the courts pronounce on the issues before them.
