ANXIETY GROWS AS POLICE REMAIN SILENT ON TINTED GLASS PERMIT ENFORCEMENT AHEAD OF AUGUST 12 DEADLINE
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
With just two days to the August 12 deadline for vehicle owners to obtain or regularise their tinted glass permits, the Nigeria Police Force has yet to clarify how it plans to enforce the directive, leaving many motorists anxious and uncertain.
The renewed emphasis on tinted glass permits began on May 1, 2025, when the police reactivated their digital permit platform to address years of public complaints over extortion, abuse, and arbitrary arrests linked to tinted windows. The platform, the Force said, was designed to enhance transparency, simplify applications, and bolster national security by curbing crimes in which tinted vehicles conceal occupants’ identities.
A 30-day grace period was initially announced, during which motorists were expected to comply. Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, had warned at the time that enforcement would follow immediately after the grace period and cautioned officers against harassment or extortion during the process.
Following complaints about application bottlenecks, particularly from motorists in rural areas and those without internet access, Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, extended the grace period to August 12 to make the process more “citizen-friendly.”
Now, with the deadline less than 48 hours away, the absence of updated enforcement guidelines has sparked fears of arbitrary action. When contacted on Saturday, Adejobi said only, “We will speak on it soon,” but as of press time, the police had not issued any further statement.
Several motorists expressed concern over the uncertainty. Private car owner Sulaiman Afeez said the silence was “creating unnecessary panic,” warning that officers might exploit the situation. Another driver, identified simply as Gabriel, said he had been avoiding routes with police checkpoints for fear of being stopped.
Others criticised the permit requirement altogether. Motorist Obinna Josh said he planned to remove his factory-installed tint to avoid police trouble, while Olawale Ojo described the N16,000 fee as “wicked” and “insensitive” given the country’s economic hardship.
Ojo urged President Bola Tinubu to halt the exercise, calling it “a way to continually rip off the people.” He argued that tinted vehicles were not the root cause of insecurity, while Kano-based car owner Luqman Ibrahim questioned the police’s priorities in the face of more pressing security threats.
As the deadline approaches, motorists remain in the dark about whether enforcement will begin immediately, be phased, or extended again a silence that many fear could open the door to roadside extortion.
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