The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly criticized the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over its decision to resume enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy from January 2, 2026, describing the move as a blatant disregard for the rule of law and the authority of the courts.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the police action amounted to “a grave affront to the majesty of the court” and reflected a troubling pattern of disrespect for due process by an institution constitutionally mandated to uphold the law.
The tinted glass permit policy, introduced in April 2025, requires vehicle owners to obtain annual permits through an online platform. However, the policy has been widely criticized amid allegations of harassment, extortion, and abuse by law enforcement officers.
Osigwe recalled that the NBA instituted a suit on September 2, challenging the legality of the policy. The association argued that the regulation is rooted in an obsolete military-era law and questioned the legality of fees allegedly being paid to a private company. According to the NBA, the policy is more of a revenue-generating scheme than a genuine security measure.
He further stated that the National Assembly lacks the constitutional power to enact the law underpinning the policy and maintained that, even if such a law were valid, its current implementation by the police amounts to an unlawful money-making venture.
“The policy is unconstitutional, obnoxious, and poses a serious threat to citizens’ rights and economic well-being,” the NBA said, adding that its enforcement would further compound Nigeria’s multiple layers of taxation and impose additional financial hardship on citizens.
Osigwe noted that following engagements between the police and stakeholders, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had agreed to suspend enforcement pending the outcome of court proceedings. Based on that undertaking, the Federal High Court struck out a motion for injunction on December 12.
He expressed shock that the police would, only days later, announce a resumption of enforcement, describing the decision as “reckless” and “contemptuous.”
“The Nigeria Police Force must respect the authority of the courts. Failure to do so will compel the NBA to initiate contempt proceedings against the Inspector General of Police and his spokesperson,” Osigwe warned.
The NBA also pledged to provide legal assistance to any individual harassed or prosecuted under the policy and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene to prevent what it described as an unjustified burden on Nigerians and an erosion of judicial authority.
Osigwe said the association’s position highlights the persistent tension between law enforcement practices and the protection of constitutional rights in Nigeria.
