NBA Sues Police For Allegedly Extorting Motorists With Tinted-glass Permit Policy
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that following numerous complains of alleged extortion by Nigeria Police at different checkpoints, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court challenging the Inspector-General of Police’s tinted-glass permit policy.
OTN News further reports as gathered that the chairman of the NBA's Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), Paul Ananaba, in statement on Thursday, who described the directive as unlawful and a violation of citizens’ fundamental rights, said that the association was informed that permit fees were being paid into a private account, raising accountability concerns.
According to him, in April 2025, the Inspector-General of Police purportedly introduced a policy which mandated members of the Nigerian motoring public to apply for and obtain annual motor tinted glass permits from the Nigeria Police Force for a fee.
“The Inspector-General of Police in the same month purportedly launched a digital portal (possap.gov.ng) through which the application for tinted glass permits was to be processed.
“We are being informed that the portal and the policy are to be managed by a private vendor, and there is no indication that the funds generated from the enforcement of the purported policy will go into the Federation Account.” he explained.
However, the association alleged that although enforcement has not started, motorists have already reported cases of harassment and extortion at police checkpoints.
The body claimed that payments are being routed into a private account belonging to Parkway Projects rather than the Federation Account or the Treasury Single Account.
The association argued that the policy violates constitutionally guaranteed rights to dignity, privacy, freedom of movement and property.
Subsequently, it questioned the legal basis for the initiative, noting that it appears to rely on the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act, a 1991 military decree, which it said may not meet the constitutional standard of being “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.”
Acting through SPIDEL, the NBA filed a public interest suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 2.
The case is titled The Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. The Inspector-General of Police & Anor (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/182/2025).
OTN News however observes from the information gathered that the suit has been filed but is yet to be assigned to a judge.
Ananaba, however, said that the NBA will pursue the litigation to its conclusion and urged the police to suspend enforcement pending the court’s ruling.
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