NIGERIA POLICE DEFEND TINTED GLASS PERMIT POLICY, DENY CONTEMPT OF COURT, REVENUE MOTIVE
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Nigeria Police Force has defended the Motor Vehicle Tinted Glass Permit Policy, insisting that the initiative is firmly rooted in law, driven by public safety concerns, and not designed as a revenue-generating scheme.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the police responded to recent criticisms credited to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, describing some of the claims as misleading and inaccurate.
The Force stressed that it remains a law-abiding institution operating strictly within the provisions of the Constitution, existing statutes and valid court orders. It added that under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, it has neither acted nor intends to act in contempt of court.
According to the statement, the regulation of tinted glass vehicles is backed by the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which empowers the Inspector-General of Police to issue permits based on security or health-related justifications. The police dismissed claims that the law was a military decree, describing such assertions as erroneous.
The Force also rejected allegations that the policy was introduced to generate revenue, noting that while it is not a revenue-generating agency, it is legally permitted to receive funds that accrue incidentally in the course of carrying out its statutory duties, as provided under the Police Act, 2020.
Explaining the automation of the permit process, the police said the Federal Executive Council approved the Police Specialised Services Automation Project in July 2022, under a lawful Public-Private Partnership arrangement regulated by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission. The online system, it said, was introduced to enhance transparency, improve security vetting and eliminate bottlenecks and extortion associated with the old manual process.
The Force further clarified that payments made during the application process are not paid into any private account, countering claims involving Parkway Projects Limited. It explained that the company is a Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed payment service provider, similar to other government payment platforms, and that transaction references cited were not bank account numbers but payment identifiers.
While acknowledging that enforcement of the policy was earlier suspended following engagements with stakeholders, including the NBA, the police said the decision was a voluntary act of restraint and goodwill, not the result of any court injunction. It added that no court had issued an order restraining the Force from enforcing the policy, noting that an application for interim injunction was earlier refused by a Federal High Court in Warri.
The police maintained that abuse of tinted vehicles has contributed to crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery and terrorism, and warned that it could not abdicate its constitutional responsibility to protect the majority of Nigerians in the face of prevailing security challenges.
The Force assured the public that any lawful enforcement of the policy would be professional and rights-compliant, warning that officers found engaging in extortion or abuse of authority would face severe disciplinary action.
Reaffirming its respect for the judiciary and due process, the Nigeria Police Force called for calm and responsible public discourse, urging all parties to allow the courts to determine the pending legal matters surrounding the policy.
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