The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has instituted legal action against the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, challenging the newly introduced tinted glass permit policy.
The decision to sue was taken at the association’s National Executive Council meeting held in Enugu on August 23.
The NBA described the policy as unlawful, unconstitutional, and an infringement on citizens’ fundamental rights.
The Policy in Question
Introduced in April 2025, the policy requires motorists to apply annually for tinted glass permits through a digital platform, possap.gov.ng, with enforcement expected to begin on October 2 after an earlier postponement.
According to the NBA, the directive raises transparency concerns, particularly because the scheme is reportedly managed by a private vendor.
Transparency and Rights Concerns
In a statement signed by Paul Ananaba, Chairman of the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), the association alleged that funds generated through the platform are not being remitted into the Federation Account or Treasury Single Account, as required by law.
“We are being informed that payments are routed into a private account belonging to Parkway Projects rather than the Federation Account,” Ananaba said.
The NBA also alleged that before the official commencement of enforcement, there have been multiple reports of police officers harassing motorists at checkpoints under the guise of tinted glass regulations.
Legal Challenge
The association argued that the directive violates citizens’ rights to dignity, privacy, freedom of movement, and property.
It further questioned the legal foundation of the policy, noting that it appears to rely on the 1991 Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act — a military decree which, according to the NBA, may not meet the constitutional threshold of laws that are “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.”
Acting through SPIDEL, the NBA filed a public interest suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 2. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/182/2025, is yet to be assigned to a judge.
The association urged the Nigeria Police Force to suspend enforcement of the policy until the matter is determined by the court.