BREAKING: Court orders Police to halt tinted permit enforcement

A Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, has directed the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to maintain the status quo in a case brought by lawyer John Aikpokpo-Martins, who is challenging the legality of the recently revived tinted glass permit policy.

The Police had reintroduced the permit system through its digital platform, POSSAP, following widespread complaints about officers harassing motorists with factory-fitted tints.

Enforcement officially resumed in June 2025 after a 30-day grace period and was later extended twice — first to August, then to October — to give road users more time to register. Authorities defended the move on security grounds, arguing that criminals often rely on vehicles with heavily tinted glass to escape detection.

The suit, however, raises questions about whether the Police acted within the limits of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act of 1991, which only allows permits for “good cause,” such as medical or security needs.

Aikpokpo-Martins and other critics argue that the blanket enforcement infringes on constitutional rights to privacy and freedom of movement, places unnecessary burdens on motorists, and risks fueling harassment by law enforcement officers.

More details to follow…

(VANGUARD)