A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has ordered the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to maintain the status quo regarding the recently revived tinted glass permit policy.
The policy, enforced through the Police Specialised Online Services and Payment Portal (POSSAP), was reintroduced amid concerns over officers harassing motorists with factory-fitted tints.
The court’s directive comes in response to a suit filed by lawyer John Aikpokpo-Martins, who challenges the legality of the policy.
The suit questions whether the police acted within the bounds of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act of 1991, which allows permits only for “good cause,” such as medical or security needs.
Critics, including Aikpokpo-Martins, argue that the blanket enforcement violates constitutional rights to privacy and freedom of movement, imposes unnecessary burdens on motorists, and could lead to further harassment by law enforcement officers.
The police, however, defend the policy on security grounds, citing the use of heavily tinted glass by criminals to evade detection.
More details to follow….
