The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has issued a stern warning to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, threatening committal proceedings for contempt if the Nigeria Police Force resumes enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy on January 2, 2026.

In a strongly worded statement signed by NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), the association described the Police’s December 15 announcement as a “grave affront to the majesty of the court” and a “subversion of the rule of law.”

The NBA is the plaintiff in an ongoing suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025) challenging the legality of the policy, filed in September 2025 by its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL). During proceedings, Police counsel Chief Ayotunde Ogunleye (SAN) gave a judicial undertaking to maintain the status quo pending determination—effectively suspending enforcement. The NBA insists that this undertaking is binding, citing the Supreme Court precedent in Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986), which established that executive actions cannot overreach judicial authority.

NBA’s Key Legal Contentions

• The 1991 Tinted Glass Prohibition Act is an obsolete military-era decree incompatible with democratic thresholds under the 1999 Constitution.
• The National Assembly lacks legislative competence to enact the law, making its foundation questionable.
• Enforcement risks enabling extortion, harassment, and revenue generation by the Police, a non-revenue agency, with fees reportedly paid into private accounts.
• The levy adds to Nigeria’s layers of taxation, burdening citizens amid economic hardship and contradicting 2026 tax reforms.
• Modern imported vehicles often come with factory-fitted tinted glass, yet the policy disregards this reality.

The association urged President Bola Tinubu to call the Police to order, warning that resumption would impose “unjustified financial hardship” and portray disregard for judicial authority. If ignored, the NBA vowed to initiate contempt proceedings against Egbetokun and Hundeyin, alongside professional sanctions against any counsel found to have misled the court.

The tinted glass saga has been marked by repeated suspensions, extensions, and legal challenges since April 2025, with widespread reports of harassment during partial enforcement.

The confrontation now sets up a high-stakes clash between Nigeria’s foremost legal body and its top law enforcement agency, testing the balance between judicial independence and executive power.