The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has formally filed a lawsuit against the Inspector-General of Police, challenging the legality of the newly introduced tinted glass permit policy.
The suit, brought under the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), was filed on September 2 at the Federal High Court in Abuja as Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/182/2025. The NBA lists itself as the claimant, with the Inspector-General of Police as the defendant.
The policy, launched in April 2025, mandates motorists to apply annually for permits via a digital portal—possap.gov.ng—managed by a private vendor. The NBA alleges that the fees collected are funneled into a private account, bypassing both the Federation Account and the Treasury Single Account.
According to SPIDEL Chairman Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN, enforcement has already led to reports of extortion and harassment at police checkpoints, even before the policy’s scheduled enforcement date—originally June 1, later postponed to October 2.
The NBA argues that the policy infringes on fundamental constitutional rights—including dignity, privacy, freedom of movement, and property ownership—and relies on a questionable military-era law, the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991, which may not meet democratic standards under Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution.
The NBA has urged the Nigeria Police Force to suspend enforcement of the policy pending the court’s decision and reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the litigation to its logical conclusion.
