The Nigeria Police Force has suspended the nationwide enforcement of its controversial tinted glass permit policy after a court issued an interim order restraining the move, marking a pause in a policy that has provoked widespread legal and public opposition.
The police had announced on 15 December 2025 that enforcement of the policy would resume from 2 January 2026, arguing that the measure was necessary to enhance public safety and internal security. But in a statement on Thursday, the force’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that the plan had been put on hold following a court order served on the police two days after the announcement.
According to Hundeyin, the police were served on 17 December with an interim order in Suit No. HOR/FHR/M/31/2025, restraining the force from proceeding with enforcement pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit, or until the order is vacated.
“In line with our constitutional obligations and respect for judicial authority, the Nigeria Police Force has entered appearance in the matter, raised preliminary objections, and formally applied for the vacation of the interim order,” Hundeyin said, adding that the case has been adjourned until 20 January 2026.
Quoting the inspector general of police, Kayode Egbetokun, the statement reaffirmed the force’s commitment to upholding the rule of law while continuing to protect lives and property. “Accordingly, and strictly in compliance with the subsisting court order, the Nigeria Police Force has placed the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy on hold nationwide, pending the decision of the court,” it said.
The police also assured the public that they would continue to rely on lawful, intelligence-driven strategies to tackle security challenges across the country.
The suspension follows intense pushback from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which has repeatedly argued that the policy is illegal. On 16 December, the NBA warned the inspector general and the police spokesperson against proceeding with enforcement, threatening contempt proceedings over what it described as a disregard for existing court orders.
In a strongly worded statement, the NBA president, Afam Osigwe, criticised the police announcement that enforcement would resume on 2 January, describing it as evidence of a troubling lack of respect for due process.
“The press release dated 15 December 2025 … has once again confirmed the sad reality that the Nigeria Police Force … continues to exhibit a troubling disregard for the rule of law and the due process it is constitutionally mandated to uphold,” Osigwe said.
He noted that the announcement contradicted an agreement reached in October between the NBA and the inspector general, under which enforcement of the policy was suspended pending the outcome of a legal challenge.
The NBA has also questioned the legal foundation of the policy itself, arguing that the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991 is a military-era law that falls short of democratic and constitutional standards. It described the policy as “unconstitutional, illegal and extortionate”, warning that its enforcement could fuel harassment and abuse by officers.
Citing proceedings before the federal high court in Abuja, the association said the court had relied on an assurance by the police’s counsel that enforcement would remain suspended when it struck out a motion for an interlocutory injunction in December. The subsequent announcement of renewed enforcement, the NBA argued, amounted to a “reckless overreach” and a “contemptuous disregard” for the authority of the court.
Despite welcoming the suspension, the NBA said it remained on alert. Osigwe announced that the association was ready to provide legal representation to any motorist harassed by police over tinted glass permits.
“The NBA will not allow citizens to be subjected to intimidation or abuse under a policy currently before the courts,” he said, directing its branches and human rights committee to intervene wherever necessary.
For now, enforcement of the policy remains frozen, with the next legal test set for later this month—another flashpoint in the long-running tension between security enforcement and civil liberties in Nigeria.
