Court order ignored: Delta, Katsina, others continue tinted glass permit enforcement despite suspension

A legal controversy is brewing as several state police commands have continued enforcing the tinted glass permit regulation, despite a subsisting order by the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, suspending the exercise.

On Friday, October 3, the court ordered the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to halt enforcement of the tinted glass permit pending the determination of a suit filed by legal practitioner John Aikpokpo-Martins (Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025).

Presiding over the case, the court directed the police to “maintain the status quo” and respect the judicial process until further proceedings are concluded. The order followed growing public complaints over harassment and extortion linked to the policy, particularly concerning factory-fitted tinted windows.

Speaking after the ruling, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kunle Edun, counsel to the applicant, described the decision as “a vital step in ensuring the supremacy of the rule of law while substantive issues are being addressed.”

However, despite the court’s pronouncement, several police formations, including those in Edo, Delta, and Katsina States, have pressed ahead with enforcement, citing directives from the IGP and national security concerns.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 5 (Edo and Delta States), Salma-Dogo Garba, said the exercise aligns with existing laws — particularly the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act of 1991 — and is intended to curb criminal activities.

She directed all motorists with tinted glass to obtain their permits via www.possap.gov.ng and undergo physical verification at state command headquarters. Those unwilling to seek permits, she advised, should remove or replace tinted glasses with transparent ones.

Before the court’s suspension order, the Delta State Police Command had announced full enforcement from Thursday, October 2. AIG Garba warned officers to carry out the operation “with utmost professionalism, free from harassment or extortion,” stressing that erring officers would be disciplined.

Similarly, the Katsina State Police Command has also begun enforcement. The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said the move aims to enhance public safety, urging motorists to comply to avoid embarrassment.

Katsina Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Shehu, reminded officers to act courteously and avoid intimidation or extortion, urging citizens to report misconduct to the command.

The conflicting developments now highlight a growing tension between judicial authority and police operational directives — raising questions about adherence to the rule of law and respect for court orders in Nigeria.