By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has ordered the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to stop enforcing the tinted glass permit.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, followed a suit filed by lawyer John Aikpokpo-Martins, who challenged the legality of the renewed enforcement of the permit.
The case comes in the wake of a controversial incident in Asaba, Delta State, last Thursday, when police officers impounded the official vehicle of Hon. Justice O. A. Ogunbowale of the National Industrial Court (NIC) during the clampdown on tinted glasses without permits.
That action coincided with the nationwide operation by the NPF, which the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), had already challenged in court. NBA-SPIDEL, led by Mr. Kunle Edun, SAN, had sought an interim injunction before a Federal High Court vacation judge in Abuja.
The association argued that since the matter was already before the court, enforcement should be suspended until a final decision was reached.
However, the vacation judge declined the request, explaining that his mandate was limited to delivering pending rulings and not to hearing fresh applications.
The refusal soon had consequences. When enforcement officers impounded Justice Ogunbowale’s vehicle under AIG Zone 5, it sparked widespread criticism from the legal community.
Many described the incident as an “avoidable humiliation” for the judiciary, noting that a timely interim order could have prevented a sitting judge from being caught up in the policy’s implementation.
“This is a clear reminder that judges should not shy away from urgent intervention when public interest is at stake,” one legal expert remarked, stressing that procedural technicalities should not overshadow judicial responsibility.
Meanwhile, the police have advised motorists with tinted glasses to register their vehicles on www.possap.gov.ng and complete physical verification at the State Intelligence Department (SID) of their respective command headquarters.
Those unwilling to obtain permits were urged to remove the tints or replace them with transparent glass, in line with the law.
The command also restated its commitment to enforcing other regulations, including those against unauthorized sirens, revolving lights, unallocated official plates, and unregistered vehicles.