Court Directs Police to Maintain Status Quo on Tinted Permit

A Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, has directed the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to uphold the existing situation in a case initiated by lawyer John Aikpokpo-Martins.

The lawyer is challenging the legality of the new tinted permit enforcement.

The court issued the interim order as hearing opened in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025, instituted by legal practitioner Aikpokpo-Martins against the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force.

In the interim order, the Court directed the police authorities to “respect judicial processes pending further proceedings in the matter.”

Senior Advocate Kunle Edun (SAN), who led the legal team for the petitioner, confirmed the development to journalists and noted that “the directive is a major step in ensuring that the rule of law is upheld while the substantive issues in the case are being determined.”

The Nigeria Police had earlier revived the tinted permit policy through its digital platform POSSAP, citing public complaints of harassment of motorists with factory-fitted tints. Official enforcement commenced in June 2025 after a 30-day grace period, though it was later extended twice – first to August and then to October – to allow motorists more time to comply. The renewed push was defended on security grounds, with the police arguing that criminals often exploit vehicles with opaque glass to evade detection.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had defended it’s position on the tainted glass permit, insisting that it is aware of a report in a national daily claiming that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had also dragged IGP Egbetokun to court over the Tinted-Glass permit policy.

In a statement, Force Spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said it is important to set the records straight to avoid misinformation to the good citizens of Nigeria on the legality of the issuance of tinted permits by the Police.

According to him, Section 2(3a) of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 2004 empowers the Inspector-General of Police or any person duly authorised by him to grant or approve the permit.

Hundeyin also stated that Section 1(2) of the same Act provides that an applicant must demonstrate good cause, either on health grounds or for security reasons, before the use of tinted glass can be approved.

He pointed out that the essence of this regulation is consistent with the core mandate of the Police to prevent crimes, as the permit is a critical tool for curbing violent crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism, and one-chance operations.