Police Says Yet to Receive Court Order Halting Tinted-Glass Permit Enforcement
The Nigeria Police Force has clarified that it has not been officially served with the order of the Federal High Court in Warri restraining it from enforcing the tinted-glass permit scheme.
The interim order, delivered on Friday in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025: John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector-General of Police & Nigeria Police Force, directed the police to suspend all actions relating to the permit pending the resolution of the substantive case.
The court asked the respondents to maintain the status quo until judgment is delivered.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on Saturday, said the police had not yet received the ruling through the proper legal channels.
He cautioned against what he described as selective reporting of the decision, pointing out that certain reliefs sought by the applicant had been declined by the court.
“While we have not been officially served the court order being circulated, Nigerians deserve to see the complete document rather than excerpts that omit important portions,” Hundeyin wrote on his verified X handle.
The clarification followed reactions from human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who publicised parts of the ruling that appeared to restrain the Force from arresting or prosecuting motorists with tinted windows.
The tinted-glass permit scheme, managed under the Police Specialised Services Automation Project, was reinstated in April 2025 after being suspended three years earlier.
Since then, enforcement across several states has led to the seizure of hundreds of vehicles, sparking criticism from motorists and civil society groups who argue that the regulation infringes on fundamental rights.
The Nigerian Bar Association has also mounted a separate challenge to the policy in Abuja, contending that the police lack legal authority to compel motorists to obtain permits.
With the Warri court’s directive, the legality of the scheme now hinges on the outcome of the substantive hearing. Until the order is formally served, however, the police say enforcement remains in place.
