- FCT Police suspend tinted glass permit enforcement after court order
A human rights lawyer and Notary Public, Olajide Abiodun, has instituted an action at the Federal High Court, challenging the continued enforcement of the Motor Vehicle (Tinted Glass) Prohibition Act by the Nigeria Police Force.
The lawyer, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu Branch and Chairman of its Human Rights Committee, maintains that the law originally promulgated as a military decree is inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
It could be recalled that police had been engaging in a series of public awareness campaigns about the ban on tinted glass, noting the punishment attached to failure to obtain a permit.
Abiodun contends that under Sections 1(3) and 315 of the Constitution, the legislation, being a military decree originally, is void and should no longer be enforced.
The suit names the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation as Respondents.
Abiodun is also seeking a judicial interpretation on whether the National Assembly has the legislative competence to sustain such military-era decrees without proper reenactment.
He further argues that the enforcement of the tinted glass ban violates citizens’ fundamental rights to liberty, privacy, and movement.
He is asking the court to grant injunctive reliefs that would restrain security agencies from harassing or arresting Nigerians over the use of vehicles with tinted windows, pending the determination of the case.
Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command on Wednesday announced it has suspended the enforcement of vehicle tinted glass permits following a court order halting the exercise.
The suspension was confirmed by the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, during a live interview on AIT on Wednesday.
Adeh said the directive took effect after the police officially received the court order stopping the enforcement.
“Information reaching me from the office of the PRO is that the order has been received, and the enforcement of the tinted permit is now on hold pending the court’s verdict,” she stated.
She explained that the suspension would remain in force until the legal process is concluded. “We are waiting for the verdict. We are not against the courts, and we will continue to wait until we get a verdict,” Adeh added.
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Addressing public concerns, Adeh clarified that the tinted glass policy was introduced for security reasons, not financial gain.
She noted that in the past, criminals had used vehicles with darkened windows to commit crimes, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to identify suspects.
“The law was not made by us; we are only enforcers. The policy was purely security-driven,” she said.
Adeh also dismissed claims that the policy was being used as a revenue source for the police, stressing that all payments for tinted glass permits are made directly into the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA).
She assured motorists and the public that the police would comply fully with the court’s directive pending the final ruling.
