Tells NBA to stop misinterpretation of a court ruling
The Nigeria Police Force has said that no court order restrained it from enforcing the tinted glass permit policy, describing claims to the contrary as a misinterpretation of a court ruling.
The Force spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while responding to questions from journalists on the Nigerian Bar Association’s move to file a contempt suit against the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The NBA had threatened to file the suit after the police reintroduced enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy on Monday, following its suspension in October 2025.
Speaking, Hundeyin said a court order being cited by many merely directed the maintenance of the status quo at the time it was issued, when enforcement of the policy was already ongoing.
He added that the court did not grant a request to stop the enforcement.
“We would like to put this on record. At no point did any court restrain the Nigeria Police Force from enforcing the tinted glass permit policy. At no point.
“What we have is people misinterpreting the last court document that was issued. That injunction spoke about maintaining the status quo. I don’t want to go into technicalities.
“At the time that order was given, enforcement was ongoing, and the court said the status quo should be maintained. In fact, the court stated specifically that the request by the lawyer who approached the court, seeking that enforcement should be stopped, would not be granted at that point. The document is out there. So the status quo meant that enforcement, which was already ongoing, should continue,” he said.
According to him, the subsequent suspension of the policy was not based on any court directive but followed consultations between the Inspector-General of Police and the NBA.
He noted that no specific timeline was attached to the suspension and that the police had hoped the legal process would be concluded within that period.
“However, we later had a meeting with the NBA, where the IGP decided to take the path of care, listening and concern, and consequently directed that the tinted glass permit policy be suspended. That suspension was not based on any court order.
“It was based on the Nigeria Police Force being responsible and responsive to the yearnings of the people, and responsive to the appeal by the NBA.
“When we announced that suspension, there was no time frame attached to it. At no point did we say it would last until a specific time.
“We simply suspended it at that point. In fact, we hoped that the court case would have reached a logical conclusion within that period. If you recall that statement, we said the policy was suspended to give Nigerians room to regularise their documentation and to await the outcome of the court case,” Hundeyin said.
Explaining why enforcement was reinstated, the spokesperson said the prolonged court case had created a security gap that criminal elements were exploiting.
He cited an incident in Benin City, Edo State, about two weeks ago, where police officers attempted to stop a fully tinted vehicle, leading to a pursuit. He said an officer was killed during the incident.
“The case has dragged on, and during that period, criminal elements have confidently used tinted vehicles to perpetrate crimes. Just two weeks ago in Edo State, the police attempted to stop a Lexus SUV with fully tinted windows. The occupants refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued.
“When the vehicle was eventually stopped, it veered to a corner. As the police approached, the occupants opened fire on the officers. One officer died instantly—an inspector of police. They were able to do this easily because the vehicle was fully tinted. From the outside, you could not see that they were armed. This, and many other cases, underscore the issue. The mandate of the police is to protect life and property. We will not fold our arms and watch things degenerate,” he said.
On the contempt threat by the NBA, Hundeyin said the police, through its Legal Directorate, would respond officially when served with court papers.
“We are yet to be served with any court papers. We will not act based on what you have just told us. Once any papers are served, we have a Legal Directorate.
“Once the papers arrive, we will respond accordingly. For now, it is hearsay, and I will not speak on hearsay,” he said.
On concerns about revenue from the permit process, Hundeyin said the current system differs from the former manual process, as it is fully digital and hosted on a secure government platform.
He explained that the fees charged were used to maintain the database, security infrastructure, and related technology, including biometric systems that allow applicants, including Nigerians abroad, to submit required information securely.
Hundeyin rejected claims that the policy or its payment process was unlawful, stating that all required approvals were obtained before implementation.
He said the official platform for the process, hosted on a government website, was evidence that the system had been duly ratified by the Federal Government.
“This system is a departure from the old tinted permit system, which was manual and paper-based. This time, the process is entirely online through a secure website.
“To operate a website or database that stores confidential information—such as phone numbers, NINs, home addresses, and dates of birth—you need additional layers of security. These do not come free or cheap.
“Everything is online. There is a database, and personal information is stored there. For Nigerians abroad who want to obtain tinted permits for vehicles in Nigeria—because relatives drive those vehicles—they must submit their biometrics themselves. The system is advanced enough that they can submit biometrics, photographs, facial scans, and fingerprints remotely. This kind of advanced technology does not come free or cheap.
“Security certificates such as SSL and firewalls require yearly renewal. Some may be one-off payments, but many require annual renewal.
“We are protecting Nigerians’ information with these advanced systems, and these systems require ongoing maintenance. That is what the fees are for—to run and sustain the database. It is not a money-making venture or a revenue-generating drive. It is about ensuring safety and security for Nigerians.
“You can see that the website is a government website—posap.gov.ng. If anything were illegal, it would not carry a .gov.ng extension. The Federal Government itself created the website. All aspects of the system—the process, from beginning to end—were ratified by the government before it was launched,” he said.
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