The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has pledged free legal aid to motorists harassed by police over the controversial tinted glass permit, branding the policy “illegal” and accusing the force of acting outside the constitution.
Through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law, the NBA said police had no authority to impose fees or demand annual renewals, describing the enforcement drive as a revenue-collection scheme.
“The Nigeria Police Force is not a revenue-generating agency of the Federal Government,” said Olukunle Edun (SAN), chair of the NBA’s Public Interest Litigation Committee. He warned that the association would “invoke the powers of the court” to stop officers from trampling on citizens’ rights.
The association revealed that its 130 branches had human rights committees on standby to represent victims pro bono, estimating that police could rake in as much as ₦3bn a month if unchecked.
Court filings show the NBA is challenging the legality of the policy under the 1999 constitution, arguing that the 1991 decree cited by police is outdated, vague, and incompatible with modern vehicles that often come factory-fitted with tinted windows. The affidavit also alleged that officers had directed payments into a private account instead of the government’s Treasury Single Account.
The NBA accused the police of “lawlessness” for launching enforcement despite the case still pending at the Federal High Court in Abuja. In a letter dated October 2, the body reminded the Inspector General of Police of the ongoing suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025) and urged him to maintain the status quo until judgment.
The controversy escalated when, on the very first day of enforcement, police impounded the vehicle of a National Industrial Court judge in Delta State—an incident the NBA described as “embarrassing and avoidable”.
Senior officers, the association noted, routinely drive SUVs with heavily tinted windows without permits, further underscoring the arbitrariness of the crackdown.
The NBA accused the judiciary of missing a chance to protect the public after a vacation judge declined to grant a last-minute injunction halting enforcement. “The judiciary’s authority and integrity are best protected when its members act to prevent chaos,” the body said.
