The Nigeria Police Force says it has not yet been officially served with the Federal High Court order directing parties to maintain the status quo in the ongoing tinted glass permit dispute.
Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, who assumed the role in September, clarified on Saturday, October 4, that while reports of the ruling are circulating, the police have not received formal notification.
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong had earlier shared on X that the Warri court ordered the police to halt enforcement, but Hundeyin noted the plaintiff’s three main injunctions were refused. He cited section eight of the order, which instructs all parties to preserve the status quo pending the October 16 hearing, accusing critics of presenting a “skewed picture.”
The interim order was delivered on Friday, October 3, in a case filed by lawyer John Aikpokpo-Martins against the Inspector-General of Police and the NPF. Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kunle Edun, who led the legal team, described it as an important step in upholding the rule of law.
Despite the pending litigation, the Niger State Police Command has begun enforcing the tinted glass regulation. Commissioner of Police Adamu Elleman personally supervised the operation in Minna on Thursday, with officers stopping tinted vehicles to verify compliance.
Elleman urged professionalism and courtesy during the checks, stressing that enforcement was not punitive but a security measure, as criminals often use tinted glass to obscure their identities. He said ignorance of the law would not excuse violations.
The tinted glass permit policy, introduced in April 2025 by IGP Kayode Egbetokun, requires annual permits for tinted vehicles at a prescribed fee. While security experts defend it as vital for national safety, motorists and rights groups argue it is burdensome and susceptible to abuse.
The Nigerian Bar Association has filed a suit challenging the legality of the policy, with further proceedings set for mid-October.