NBA BLASTS POLICE OVER ‘ILLEGAL’ TINTED GLASS POLICY, WARNS OF NATIONWIDE HARASSMENT, EXTORTION

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has launched a blistering attack on the Nigeria Police Force over its decision to resume enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy, describing the move as illegal, unconstitutional, and a dangerous assault on the rule of law.

Raising the alarm at a press conference, the NBA President, Afam Josiah Osigwe, SAN, accused the police of openly defying court proceedings, reneging on formal agreements, and deliberately pushing a policy that would unleash widespread harassment and extortion of Nigerians, especially during the festive season.

Osigwe said the association was shocked and outraged by a public notice announcing that enforcement of the policy would resume on January 2, 2026, despite a subsisting legal challenge and prior assurances from the police that implementation had been suspended.

“This action is a brazen show of contempt for the judiciary,” Osigwe declared. “Once a matter is before the court, no arm of government—least of all the police—has the moral or legal right to act as if the courts do not exist.”

The NBA President recalled that the policy, first introduced in April, was postponed to October 1 before being suspended following a lawsuit instituted by the NBA through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL).

According to him, the NBA’s National Executive Committee endorsed the suit, which led to a High Court in Warri ordering all parties to maintain the status quo.

“Following that order, the police reached out to us. We engaged, and there was a clear agreement that enforcement would be halted pending the outcome of the case,” Osigwe said.

He added: “It is therefore shocking that the same police have now turned around to announce a resumption date. This is institutional bad faith.”

‘NO CONSTITUTIONAL BACKING’

Osigwe further questioned the legal foundation of the tinted glass policy, insisting that the National Assembly lacks the constitutional authority to enact such a law.

“Even if—without conceding—that the National Assembly has such power, the regulations issued by the police are ultra vires. The police cannot wake up and impose financial obligations on citizens without lawful authority,” he argued.

In a stinging rebuke, the NBA President dismissed the policy as a thinly veiled revenue drive, rather than a genuine security initiative.

“The Nigeria Police Force is a law enforcement agency, not a revenue-generating institution,” he said.

Osigwe expressed deep concern over reports that payments for the permit were allegedly being made into private accounts, describing the process as shrouded in secrecy.

“There is no transparency. No clarity on how the amount was arrived at, how the funds are spent, or why payments are not made through the Treasury Single Account (TSA),” he said.

‘A TOOL FOR EXTORTION’

The NBA warned that the policy would hand unchecked power to officers on the road, turning checkpoints into toll gates.

“The police are setting up their own officers—and the public—for conflict. This policy will empower harassment, intimidation, and extortion of motorists,” Osigwe warned.

He also questioned the fate of previously issued permits. “If this is truly about security, what happened to earlier permits? Why must Nigerians keep paying again and again?” he asked.

Describing the timing of the policy as cruel and provocative, Osigwe said its enforcement during the festive season would worsen the hardship of already struggling Nigerians.

“This is a calculated attempt to make life more difficult for citizens who are simply trying to travel, reunite with family, and survive,” he said.

The NBA President urged Nigerians to reject and condemn the policy, insisting that security data could easily be captured during routine vehicle documentation.

He also made a direct appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in and halt what he described as an embarrassment to the nation.

Osigwe disclosed that the NBA had written to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, urging immediate intervention.

“This policy does not portray Nigeria in a good light. It imposes needless suffering on the people,” he said. “This must stop.”

Osigwe concluded by calling on the police to respect judicial authority and adopt humane, lawful, and intelligent approaches to security.

“Insisting on enforcing this policy while the matter is before the court is unlawful and reckless,” he warned. “The police will serve the country better by protecting lives—not by extracting money from the people.”