The Nigeria Police Force has responded to growing criticism of its Motor Vehicle Tinted Glass Permit Policy, insisting that the initiative is rooted in law and security considerations and not designed as a revenue drive.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the response was prompted by comments attributed to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe, which the police described as inaccurate and misleading.
The Force maintained that the Inspector-General of Police is empowered by law to issue tinted glass permits, noting that applicants are required to present valid security or health-related reasons. It explained that the policy is aimed at addressing security threats linked to the misuse of tinted vehicles in crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery and terrorism.
The police further stated that it remains bound by the Constitution, existing laws and valid court orders, stressing that it has no intention of acting in contempt of judicial decisions.
Rejecting claims that the policy is revenue-driven, the NPF clarified that while it is not a revenue-generating agency, the Police Act, 2020, allows it to receive administrative charges incidental to the performance of its statutory duties. According to the statement, fees paid by applicants are used strictly to maintain the technology and security infrastructure of the automated permit system.
Hundeyin also dismissed allegations that payments are made into a private account, explaining that Parkway Projects Limited is a Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed payment service provider engaged by the Federal Government to process payments, similar to other recognised platforms.
He added that the enhanced tinted glass permit system was introduced to standardise the process nationwide, improve security vetting, reduce human interference and eliminate extortion and inefficiencies associated with the former manual system.
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