The Nigeria Police Force has said that no court order restrained it from enforcing the tinted glass permit policy, describing claims to the contrary as a misinterpretation of a court ruling.
The Force spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while responding to questions from journalists on the Nigerian Bar Association’s move to file a contempt suit against the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The NBA had threatened to file the suit after the police reintroduced enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy on Monday, following its suspension in October 2025.
Speaking, Hundeyin said a court order being cited by many merely directed the maintenance of the status quo at the time it was issued, when enforcement of the policy was already ongoing.
He added that the court did not grant a request to stop the enforcement.
“We would like to put this on record. At no point did any court restrain the Nigeria Police Force from enforcing the tinted glass permit policy. At no point.
“What we have is people misinterpreting the last court document that was issued. That injunction spoke about maintaining the status quo. I don’t want to go into technicalities.
According to him, the subsequent suspension of the policy was not based on any court directive but followed consultations between the Inspector-General of Police and the NBA.
He noted that no specific timeline was attached to the suspension and that the police had hoped the legal process would be concluded within that period.
Explaining why enforcement was reinstated, the spokesperson said the prolonged court case had created a security gap that criminal elements were exploiting.
He cited an incident in Benin City, Edo State, about two weeks ago, where police officers attempted to stop a fully tinted vehicle, leading to a pursuit. He said an officer was killed during the incident.
On the contempt threat by the NBA, Hundeyin said the police, through its Legal Directorate, would respond officially when served with court papers.
On concerns about revenue from the permit process, Hundeyin said the current system differs from the former manual process, as it is fully digital and hosted on a secure government platform.
He explained that the fees charged were used to maintain the database, security infrastructure, and related technology, including biometric systems that allow applicants, including Nigerians abroad, to submit required information securely.
Hundeyin rejected claims that the policy or its payment process was unlawful, stating that all required approvals were obtained before implementation.
He said the official platform for the process, hosted on a government website, was evidence that the system had been duly ratified by the Federal Government.
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