Police defend legality of tinted-glass permit policy amid NBA lawsuit

Abuja — The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has defended the legality of its tinted-glass permit policy, following reports that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has taken the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, to court over the matter.

In a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Friday in Abuja, the NPF described claims that the permit system was unlawful and unconstitutional as “untrue and misleading.”

The statement cited Section 2(3a) of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 2004, which empowers the IGP or a delegated officer to grant or approve tinted-glass permits. It further referenced Section 1(2) of the same Act, which requires applicants to show valid reasons—such as health or security—before approval can be granted.

“The essence of this regulation is consistent with the core mandate of the Police to prevent crimes, as the permit is a critical tool for curbing violent crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism, and one chance operations,” the statement read.

The Force also clarified that charges attached to the permits are “purely processing fees” for maintaining the digital infrastructure deployed to provide the service. According to Hundeyin, this aligns with Sections 26(e) and (f) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, which empowers the Police to render specialised services to the public at a fee.

Highlighting its recent successes, the Police said the Electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR) has enabled the tracing and recovery of numerous stolen vehicles nationwide, reinforcing the benefits of modernised specialised services.

Reiterating the Force’s position, IGP Egbetokun assured Nigerians of the Police’s commitment to professionalism, transparency, and respect for the rule of law.

“The Inspector-General of Police reiterates the unflinching commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the fundamental rights of all Nigerians,” the statement concluded.

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