Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja, Nigeria — The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has threatened to initiate committal proceedings against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, over the planned resumption of enforcement of the controversial tinted glass permit policy, a move that has sharply renewed legal and constitutional tensions between the country’s foremost legal body and the Nigeria Police Force.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by NBA President Afam Osigwe, the association warned that it would proceed with contempt action should the IGP and the Police PRO fail or refuse to comply with what the NBA described as a “lawful directive” to halt enforcement of the tinted glass policy pending final judicial determination.
The threat of contempt proceedings follows a police press release issued on December 15, 2025, in which the Force announced that enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy would resume nationwide from January 2, 2026, citing security concerns and the need to address rising crime involving vehicles with unauthorised tinted windows. However, the NBA said the announcement itself amounted to a “grave affront to the majesty of the court and a clear subversion of the rule of law.”
The NBA’s objection is rooted in ongoing litigation challenging the legal basis and constitutionality of the tinted glass policy, which was introduced by the Police in April 2025. In September, the association filed a public interest suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, contesting the policy on grounds that it was premised on a military-era law — the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act of 1991 — that is inconsistent with democratic constitutional standards and outside the legislative competence of the National Assembly. The NBA maintains that enforcement while such matters remain under judicial consideration could amount to contempt of court.
The association also noted that several related court orders, including injunctions restraining enforcement of the policy pending legal proceedings, had been served on the Police, and warned that disregard of these processes would force legal escalation. The NBA further stated that it would initiate professional disciplinary action against any lawyer found to have misled the court in relation to the policy’s enforcement.
The NBA described the tinted glass permit policy as unconstitutional, illegal and extortionate, and said it had triggered widespread reports of harassment, intimidation and civil rights violations, particularly affecting young Nigerians. It also raised concerns that fees associated with the policy are paid into a private company’s account, rather than into government revenue streams.
The Nigeria Police Force, for its part, has defended the policy and justified its resumption on the basis of escalating security threats, including armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes allegedly facilitated by vehicles with heavy or unauthorised tinted glass. Police spokespeople have maintained that there is no court order restraining enforcement, and have urged motorists to comply by obtaining permits through approved channels.
The controversy underscores a broader clash between civil liberties advocates and security authorities over how best to balance public safety with constitutional rights. Civil liberties groups and legal practitioners argue that tinted glass controls should not be enforced while their legality is actively being adjudicated, warning that premature action could undermine judicial authority and erode the rule of law.
With the enforcement date now set for early January and the threat of committal proceedings looming, the dispute is expected to remain at the centre of legal and public debate in Nigeria’s final weeks of the year. How the Police respond to the NBA’s ultimatum, and whether the courts will intervene again, will be closely watched by motorists, legal observers and civil society alike.
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