The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has instituted legal proceedings against the Nigeria Police Force over the contentious tinted glass permit policy introduced by the Inspector-General of Police earlier this year.
At its recent pre-conference National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Enugu, the NBA resolved to challenge the policy’s legality, citing concerns over citizens’ fundamental rights and the policy’s constitutional validity.
The policy requires motorists to obtain yearly permits for tinted vehicle glasses through a digital portal operated by a private vendor, with enforcement initially set to begin on June 1, 2025, and later rescheduled to October 2.
However, reports of police harassment and extortion of motorists have persisted nationwide.
The NBA argues that the policy infringes on citizens’ rights to dignity, privacy, freedom of movement, and property, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
Moreover, the association questions the policy’s legal foundation, which relies on a 1991 military decree that may not meet the constitutional requirement of laws “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.”
Concerns have also been raised about the financial structure of the scheme, with payments for permits reportedly directed into a private account rather than the Federation Account or Treasury Single Account (TSA), sparking questions about transparency and accountability.
The NBA, through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), filed the suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, listing the Inspector-General of Police as defendant. Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN, Chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, has confirmed that the association will pursue the litigation to its logical conclusion and urged the police to respect the judicial process and suspend enforcement of the policy pending the court’s decision.
