NBA screams contempt over tinted glass policy

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

In a statement signed by NBA President Afam Osigwe, the association described the policy as “a grave affront to the majesty of the court” and a threat to the rule of law. It stated that failure to heed this “lawful admonition” would result in contempt proceedings.

The NBA was reacting to a press release dated 15 December 2025, announcing that enforcement of the policy would resume from 2 January 2026. According to the association, the policy, initially introduced in April 2025, sparked reports of “harassment, extortion, and civil rights violations, particularly against young people.”

“On September 2, 2025, the Nigerian Bar Association… instituted an action before the Federal High Court, Abuja… challenging the legality of the Tinted Glass Permit Policy,” the statement read. The NBA argued that the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991 is a military-era law that is unconstitutional and extortionate.

“The enforcement of the unlawful policy will initiate disorder and extortion, given the Nigeria Police’s long and sordid history of extortion, bribery, harassment, intimidation, and extra-judicial killings,” the NBA added. “The policy is a brazen revenue-generating drive… particularly worrisome as the fees are paid into the account of a private company.”

Osigwe noted that although the IGP had previously suspended enforcement pending court directives, the sudden announcement to resume the policy amounted to “reckless overreach” and a “contemptuous disregard for the authority of the court.”

He urged the Police to halt enforcement and assured that NBA branches and the Human Rights Committee would provide legal representation to anyone penalised under the policy.

“The planned resumption of the policy will not only amount to a slap on the face of the court but also impose unjustified financial hardship on Nigerians,” the association warned, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.

The Police, however, defended the policy, citing rising security threats and stating that it is intended to protect lives and property. CSP Hundeyin emphasised that the suspension was voluntary, not court-mandated, and urged motorists to obtain permits through approved channels.