The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the renewed enforcement of tinted glass permits by the Nigeria Police Force, describing the policy as illegal and a violation of citizens’ rights. The association has pledged to provide free legal representation to any Nigerian harassed or extorted under the controversial scheme.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Olukunle Edun (SAN), Chairman of the NBA’s Public Interest Litigation Committee, the association vowed to challenge the enforcement in court and protect motorists across the country from what it sees as an unlawful practice.
“We shall invoke the powers of the court to ensure that the Nigeria Police Force does not trample on the rights of Nigerians,” Edun stated. “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 disclosed that Human Rights Committees across the NBA’s 130 branches are on standby to offer pro bono legal services to affected citizens. The NBA accused the police of turning the permit into a revenue-generating venture, warning that the scheme could rake in at least N3 billion in just one month.
Edun emphasized that the matter is currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja, describing the police’s ongoing enforcement as “lawless” and in contempt of judicial processes. In a letter dated October 2, 2025, the NBA reminded the Inspector General of Police of the pending suit—FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025—challenging the constitutionality of the policy.
Filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the NBA, the suit seeks to nullify the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Decree 1991, arguing that it contradicts provisions of the 1999 Constitution. The NBA is also seeking an injunction restraining the police from further arrests, harassment, or extortion related to tinted glass permits.
In an affidavit filed by NBA counsel Godspower Eroga, the association alleged that the police plan to collect permit payments through a private account—Parkway Projects A/C No. 4001017918—rather than the official Treasury Single Account (TSA), raising concerns over transparency and accountability.
Eroga further noted that the cited decree lacks measurable standards for tint levels and is inconsistent with modern vehicle manufacturing trends, which often include factory-installed tinted windows. He also recalled that several former Inspectors General had, at various times, suspended the permit regime—declaring it either free, indefinite, or altogether unnecessary.
