He Nigerian Police Force (NPF) The high command on Friday reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the rule of law, public safety and judicial authority in handling the implementation of the Motor Vehicle Tinted Glass Permit Policy, which will commence from January 2 next year.
This is contained in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin.
The statement noted that the Force had noted recent public comments attributed to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, on the implementation of the policy, and insisted that the policy was being implemented in the public interest.
According to him, “in the primary interest of public order, institutional clarity and national security, the Force considers it necessary to record the facts, correct material misrepresentations and reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the rule of law, public safety and judicial authority.
“At all times, the Nigeria Police Force remains a law-abiding institution operating strictly within the framework of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, existing statutes and valid orders of courts of competent jurisdiction.
“Under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, the Force has not acted and does not intend to act in contempt of court. Respect for the judiciary and compliance with due process remain non-negotiable pillars of police governance and command accountability.
“The regulation of tinted vehicle windows is not a discretionary or arbitrary policy as wrongly described by the NBA President. It is firmly based on law. The Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, Laws of the Federation (LFN), 2004, is an act of the National Assembly and not a military decree, as misrepresented by the NBA President.
“Section 2(3)(a) of the Act gives the Inspector General of Police the legal authority to issue permits, while Section 1(2) of the same Act requires applicants to establish a legitimate justification related to safety or health.
“This framework exists primarily to address public safety concerns, particularly the use of concealed vehicles in the commission of crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism and other violent crimes.”
The statement noted that it was therefore incorrect and misleading to present the policy as a revenue-driven initiative.
According to him, “The Nigeria Police Force is not a revenue-generating organization. However, the force is empowered by law to receive funds accruing incidentally in the performance of its statutory functions.
“Section 26(1)(f) of the Police Act 2020 (as amended) expressly recognizes this authority. This legal position is neither novel nor controversial.”
The statement further explains that, balancing accessibility for legitimate applicants with the imperatives of national security and operational sustainability, the Federal Government approved the Police Specialized Services Automation Project, which received approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in July 2022.
According to him, “the project is implemented under a legal public-private partnership (PPP) agreement authorized by the Infrastructure Concessions Regulatory Commission (ICCR) Act, with the Nigerian Police Force partnering with an authorized information technology infrastructure provider.
“Under this automated framework, tinted glass permit applications are processed online, undergo a security check and are approved strictly in accordance with the law.
“Administrative fees paid by applicants are only levied to maintain the technology infrastructure, data security systems and workflow architecture that support the process. They do not constitute revenue generation for the Nigeria Police Force.”
The statement clarified that NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe’s allegation that payments were made into a “private account” operated by Parkway Projects was completely false and betrayed a lack of understanding of payment processing systems or a mischief calculated to mislead the public.
“Parkway Projects Limited is a payment service provider licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, engaged by the Federal Government as a payment collection channel for the Vehicle Tinting Permit Project, in the same manner as platforms such as Remita.
“The reference number cited as Parkway Projects’ bank account number by the NBA President is not a bank account but rather a unique transaction identifier used for reconciliation and settlement through designated government channels.”
He further explained that while some motorists may desire tinted windows for reasons of privacy, aesthetics or protection from sunlight, the indiscriminate use of heavily tinted vehicles had clearly undermined traffic surveillance, facilitated the cover-up of criminals and impeded intelligence-based policing.
“Therefore, the enhanced Tint permit system was introduced to standardize applications across the country, improve vetting and integrate security innovations not previously present in the process, while eliminating bottlenecks and extortion tendencies associated with the previous process. This is part of a series of innovations recently introduced to modernize policing in Nigeria under the current Inspector General of Police.”
The statement recalled that implementation of the policy was previously voluntarily suspended following engagements with NBA leaders and in response to public calls.
According to him, “This decision was an exercise of institutional restraint and goodwill, not the result of any judicial restraint. The Force remains fully aware of the matters pending before the courts, including suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025, on which judgment has been reserved, and will not take any action capable of preempting or undermining the judicial results.”
“The recent communication on the application was intended to provide advance public notice of operational planning, subject always to compliance with current judicial directives and further guidance from the courts.
“Where any aspect of such communication may be misinterpreted, the Nigeria Police Force is open to constructive engagement to ensure clarity, harmony and strict compliance with the law.
“Despite that, the Nigerian Police will not spend valuable time responding to ignorant and malicious claims, especially from people who have chosen to use malicious attacks on the police as a launching pad to achieve prominence and fame under the guise of being defenders of the masses.”
The statement added that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, assured Nigerians of the Force’s unwavering commitment to professionalism, transparency, accountability and the protection of fundamental rights, stressing that the Nigerian Police Force remains steadfast in its constitutional mandate to safeguard lives and property and will continue to act lawfully, decisively and independently in the best interest of the Nigerian people.