Tinted Glass Permit And Matters Arising

The issue of vehicle-tinted-glass permits has generated controversy in recent times, with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at odds with the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) over the recent announcement to resume enforcement in January 2026, stating it is a direct affront to the authority of the court.

The NBA, through its president, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, noted that the decision to resume enforcement of the policy is “a reckless overreach and a serious assault on institutional integrity.”

This newspaper believes that there are some misunderstandings surrounding the tinted-glass permit regime, which is the source of disagreement in certain quarters. The Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, CAP M21 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (formerly Decree No. 6 of 1991), “prohibits the tinting or treating in any other way any glass fitted in a motor vehicle to render persons in the vehicle obscure or invisible.”

It is instructive to note that section 1(1) of the Act states that “Except with the permission of the appropriate authority designated for this Act and for such good cause as may be determined from time to time by the appropriate authority, no person shall cause any glass fitted on a motor vehicle to be- (a) tinted; or (b) shaded; or (c) coloured lightly or thickly; or (d) darkened; or (e) treated in any other way.”

Given the provisions of the Act, the position of the Nigerian Police Force is valid as it has not acted outside the provisions of the Act. Challenging the authority of the Nigerian Police Force to implement the vehicle-tinted-glasspermit is, in itself, an error. The suit the NBA relied on in its recent position is defective from a legal standpoint.

The ex parte injunction issued by Justice Joe Egwu of the Delta State High Court in Orerokpe, stopping and barring the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, from resuming enforcement of the tinted-glass permit policy nationwide, is an unnecessary distraction.

As a newspaper, it is our position that the suit should not have been entertained in the first place, given that there is an Act of law that “prohibits the tinting or treating in any other way any glass fitted in a motor vehicle.” Section 5 of the Act also conferred on the Federal High Court the “jurisdiction to try offenders under this Act.”

The Nigerian Police, as the enforcer of this law, has not acted outside its jurisdiction. This makes the position of the NBA and the Delta State High Court injurious to matters of national security and can be viewed as an affront to constituted authorities.

We align with the Nigerian Police Force’s decision to resume implementation of the tinted-glass permit regime. This was introduced due to the escalating security situation in some parts of the country. According to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, “this decision is the aftermath of a careful review of emerging security concerns and the need to ensure the safety of all citizens.”

As a newspaper, we recognise the issues surrounding the way and manner in which the Nigerian Police Force implements this regime, with various stakeholders alleging that it has been turned into an extortionist regime by officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force. While we agree that the regime might be fraught with irregularities, it does not take away the fact that it is a national policy that comes with attendant benefits in crime prevention.

We strongly suggest that the focus should be on sanitising the implementation regime for optimal results. This newspaper expects the relevant stakeholders to demand accountability and transparency from the Nigeria Police Force to make the regime worthwhile. The Nigerian Police Force must also take steps to address some of the noticeable concerns in the conduct of its officers and personnel.

We must acknowledge that some criminal elements have exploited tinted vehicles to facilitate criminal activities. We must recognise that the country is undergoing some security challenges, and it behoves us as citizens to strike a balance between personal safety and personal use.

Moreover, the process for obtaining a tint permit has been digitalised, requiring biometric information, National Identification Number (NIN), and full vehicle details to facilitate easier investigations in relation to crimes committed by occupants of tinted vehicles. It is our position that the merits of the tinted-glass permit regime are innumerable. Associations such as the NBA should be circumspect in their public stance on matters of national security.