The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has dragged the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to the Federal High Court over the controversial tinted-glass permit policy.
The association described the directive as unlawful, unconstitutional, and a gross violation of citizens’ fundamental rights.
The suit, filed on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, through the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), is titled The Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. The Inspector General of Police & Anor (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/182/2025). The case has been filed in Abuja but is yet to be assigned to a judge.
At its National Executive Council meeting in Enugu on August 23, the NBA resolved to challenge the policy introduced in April 2025, insisting that the move was oppressive and lacking in transparency.
The policy mandates motorists with tinted windows to apply for annual permits through a digital portal operated by the police.
Originally slated for enforcement on June 1, 2025, but later extended to October 2, the directive requires motorists to pay a yearly permit fee of ₦16,000 through possap.gov.ng, a platform allegedly managed by a private vendor.
NBA’s Section Chairman, Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN), in a statement issued Thursday, accused the police of introducing a policy that not only infringes on constitutionally guaranteed rights but also raises serious accountability concerns.
He alleged that funds from the permit applications are being paid into a private account belonging to Parkway Projects, instead of being remitted into the Federation Account or the Treasury Single Account.
“The directive has no legal backing and is in clear breach of citizens’ rights to dignity, privacy, freedom of movement, and property,” the statement said.
It also questioned the reliance on the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991, a military-era decree, arguing that such a basis is not “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.”
The NBA further alleged that even before the enforcement date, policemen at checkpoints have already begun harassing and extorting motorists under the guise of implementing the yet-to-take-effect policy.
Reports of arbitrary arrests and illegal fines have resurfaced, echoing previous complaints that led to the suspension of tinted glass permits years ago.
While the Nigeria Police Force has defended the digital permit system as a tool to enhance national security and reduce arbitrary enforcement, motorists insist the policy is exploitative.
Many have expressed frustration over the ₦16,000 annual fee, which they say is unrealistic given the current economic hardship.
The NBA is demanding that the court declare the policy unconstitutional, restrain the Inspector-General of Police from enforcing it, and order a refund of all monies collected under the scheme.
The association urged the police to suspend enforcement until the judiciary makes a final ruling.
This legal showdown now places the Inspector-General of Police on trial over what could become one of the most contentious policies of his administration.
The outcome is expected to set a major precedent for how far security agencies can go in regulating civilian life under Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.