NBA warns the Police over resumption of tinted glass policy, threatens committal if enforcement ignores court directives

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has threatened to initiate committal proceedings against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, over the planned resumption of the suspended motor vehicle tinted glass permit policy.

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In a statement signed on Tuesday by NBA President Afam Osigwe, the association said it would commence contempt proceedings should the IGP fail to heed its “lawful admonition” to halt the policy.

The NBA also warned that any counsel found to have misled the court would face appropriate professional disciplinary action.

The announcement followed a press release dated December 15, 2025, from CSP Hundeyin, which stated that enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy would resume on January 2, 2026.

The NBA described the policy as “a grave affront to the majesty of the court” and a subversion of the rule of law.

The association recalled that in April 2025, the IGP introduced the requirement for motorists to obtain annual tinted glass permits via an online platform, with enforcement initially set for June 1 and later postponed to October 2.

The association argued that the policy violated constitutional standards, citing the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991 as outdated and unconstitutional. It also raised concerns about harassment, extortion, and civil rights violations, particularly against young people.

“The enforcement of the unlawful policy will initiate disorder and extortion, given the Nigeria Police’s long and sordid history of harassment, intimidation, and extra-judicial killings,” the statement read.

“This is a brazen revenue-generating drive by the Nigeria Police Force, which by law is not a revenue-generating organisation.”

The NBA noted that court processes were served on the IGP, who briefed Senior Advocate of Nigeria Chief Ayotunde Ogunleye to represent him.

A Federal High Court order on October 3, 2025, directed all parties to maintain the status quo in a related suit, restraining the police from enforcing the policy pending further determination.

Osigwe said the police announcement to resume enforcement a day after the court struck out the motion for interlocutory injunction amounted to “reckless overreach” and “contemptuous disregard for the authority of the court.”

The NBA urged the IGP to withdraw the statement and halt enforcement while related court actions are pending.

The association also directed its branches and Human Rights Committee to provide legal representation to any Nigerian harassed, arrested, or penalised under the policy.

The association further called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, describing the planned resumption as a potential imposition of “unjustified financial hardship on Nigerians.”

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The Nigeria Police Force defended the policy, citing escalating security threats from unauthorised tinted vehicles. CSP Hundeyin stated that the earlier suspension was voluntary, not court-mandated, and that the policy is intended to protect lives and property.