The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has taken the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to court over the newly reintroduced tinted-glass permit policy.
The Association described the policy as unconstitutional, illegal, and a threat to citizens’ rights.
The NBA filed a public interest suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, September 2, 2025, challenging the legality of the police directive. The case is titled “The Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. The Inspector General of Police & Anor (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/182/2025).”
Although the case is yet to be assigned to a judge, the NBA is urging the police to halt enforcement pending judicial determination.
The controversial policy, introduced by the IGP in April 2025 and originally slated for enforcement on June 1, was postponed to October 2 following public backlash. It mandates motorists with tinted windows to obtain annual permits through a digital portal managed by a private vendor.
At its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Enugu on August 23, the NBA unanimously condemned the policy, questioning both its legal foundation and implementation process.
In a statement on Thursday, Professor Paul Ananaba (SAN), Chairman of the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), said: “We are informed that the portal (possap.gov.ng) is being run by a private company, Parkway Projects, and that fees are being paid into a private account, not the Federation Account or Treasury Single Account.”
Ananaba added that there have already been “several cases of harassment and extortion” by officers at checkpoints, despite the policy’s enforcement date being weeks away.
The NBA argues that the policy violates several constitutionally protected rights, including right to dignity, right to privacy, freedom of movement and right to own property.
It also contends that the legal foundation of the policy — the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act, enacted by military decree in 1991 — is outdated and “not reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.”
While the Nigeria Police Force claims the initiative aims to enhance national security and promote transparency, critics say the ₦16,000 permit fee is burdensome amid economic hardship and raises questions about transparency and accountability.
“This policy does not meet constitutional standards, and the NBA will pursue this matter to its logical conclusion,” Ananaba said. “We call on the police to respect the rule of law and immediately suspend the policy until the court delivers its judgment.”
The reactivation of the tinted glass permit platform on May 1 came after years of criticism over abuse, extortion, and arbitrary arrests linked to tinted windows.