The Nigerian Bar Association has strongly condemned the Nigeria Police Force over its decision to resume enforcement of the suspended tinted glass permit policy from January 2, 2026, accusing the police of disregarding the rule of law and due process.
The police had, in a statement issued on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, announced that enforcement of the policy would resume in January, citing a rise in vehicle-related crimes and emerging security concerns. Hundeyin said the move followed a careful review aimed at ensuring the safety of citizens.
Reacting to the announcement, the NBA President, Afam Osigwe, in a statement he signed, described the decision as reckless and contemptuous of the courts. He said the police announcement, dated December 15, 2025, confirmed a troubling pattern of disregard for the rule of law by the country’s foremost law enforcement agency.
According to the NBA, the decision amounted to executive recklessness and portrayed the police leadership as lacking respect for the authority of the courts, due process, and constitutional governance. The association noted that the enforcement of the policy is already the subject of an ongoing legal challenge.
The NBA recalled that on September 2, 2025, through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law, it instituted a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging the legality of the tinted glass permit policy. The case, marked Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025, was filed against the Inspector General of Police and other parties.
The association argued that the Nigerian Police Force lacks the constitutional authority to impose fees or financial obligations on citizens under the guise of enforcing the policy. It described the tinted glass permit regime as unconstitutional, illegal, extortionate, and a threat to citizens’ rights and economic well-being.
The NBA expressed concern that barely one working day after the court relied on the undertaking of the defendants’ counsel, the police issued a statement announcing the reactivation of enforcement. It described the move as a reckless overreach and a contemptuous disregard for the authority of the court, warning that it undermines institutional integrity and public confidence in the justice system.
Consequently, the NBA called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately withdraw the statement issued by CSP Hundeyin and halt all plans to resume enforcement of the policy pending the final determination of all related court cases.
The association also directed its branches and Human Rights Committee to provide legal assistance to any Nigerian harassed, arrested, or prosecuted as a result of the enforcement of the policy, warning that it would not allow citizens to be intimidated over a matter already before the courts.
It further warned that it would initiate committal proceedings for contempt against the Inspector General of Police and CSP Hundeyin if the directive was ignored, and that professional disciplinary proceedings would be commenced against any lawyer found to have misled the court.
The NBA maintained that the undertaking given by the police’s counsel in court was binding, stressing that any action contrary to it amounted to overreaching the court. It cited the Supreme Court decision in Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986) to support its position.
The association also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, warning that the planned resumption of enforcement would undermine the authority of the courts and impose unjustified financial hardship on Nigerians.
