The Nigerian Bar Association has promised to offer free legal assistance to citizens who have been targeted by the police concerning the disputed tinted glass permit, which it called "unlawful."
The NBA, via its Public Interest and Development Law Section, stated that the police lacked a constitutional foundation for charging fees or annual renewals to drivers, cautioning that implementing the policy was not only illegal but also a revenue-focused initiative.
In a statement released on Thursday, Olukunle Edun (SAN), Chairman of the NBA's Public Interest Litigation Committee, stated: "We will use the court's authority to prevent the Nigeria Police Force from violating the rights of Nigerians. Any citizen who faces harassment from the police while enforcing the unlawful tinted glass permit should not hesitate to reach out to any NBA branch."
The 130 branches of the NBA in Nigeria's Human Rights Committees are prepared to provide free legal assistance to anyone facing harassment. It is estimated that the police could collect at least N3bn in a month, transforming them into a revenue source for the Federal Government rather than concentrating on more critical matters of crime.
Edun emphasized that the issue is already before the court and criticized the police for being "lawless" in initiating enforcement.
In a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police on October 2, 2025, the NBA brought to the attention of the police the ongoing legal case FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, which questions the legality and constitutionality of the policy. The organization stated that the police are obligated to preserve the previous state of affairs until the court makes a decision.
The lawsuit, initiated by the Incorporated Trustees of the NBA, requests that the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Decree 1991 be declared unconstitutional and not in line with the 1999 Constitution. It further argues that drivers should not be forced to pay charges or renew licenses. The suit also asks for an injunction to prevent the police from making arrests, causing distress, or demanding money under this regulation.
An affidavit submitted by NBA attorney Godspower Eroga claimed that the police sought to redirect funds via a personal account—Parkway Projects A/C No. 4001017918—rather than depositing payments into the Treasury Single Account.
He also stated that the law referenced by the police offers no clear criteria for window tinting and does not align with contemporary vehicles, which frequently have factory-tinted windows.
Eroga also mentioned that previous Inspectors General of Police had, on different occasions, halted the permit system, referring to it as free, perpetual, or redundant.
He mentioned that high-ranking police officials also drive SUVs with darkly tinted windows, typically without proper authorization.
The NBA stated that the police are not allowed to enforce what is essentially a tax without proper legal authorization.
It mentioned, 'The Nigeria Police Force is not a source of income for the Federal Government.'
In the meantime, the organization voiced strong disapproval that on the first day of implementation, law enforcement officials in Asaba, Delta State, seized the car of a National Industrial Court judge, Justice O. A. Ogunbowale.
NBA-SPIDEL characterized the incident as "an embarrassing and preventable event" that highlighted its concerns regarding the risks associated with the policy.
The body disclosed that it had made a final effort to obtain an injunction to stop the enforcement, but the Federal High Court's on-call judge refused to consider the request, stating there were procedural constraints.
"A straightforward directive to halt the police operation could have safeguarded the public and, as it later proved, one of his own fellow officers," the NBA stated.
It ended by calling on the judiciary to take firm action in issues of immediate public concern:
The strength and credibility of the judiciary are most effectively safeguarded when its members take action to avoid disorder, even if it involves adjusting a procedural rule on the final day of their tenure.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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