NBA, police to review tinted glass policy over public concerns

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) have agreed to review the nation’s tinted glass policy to ensure it better serves public interest and national security goals.

Chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN), disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos while briefing journalists on preparations for the upcoming SPIDEL 2025 Conference.

Ananaba explained that the decision followed extensive engagements between the Police and the association after widespread complaints from motorists about harassment and indiscriminate arrests by officers enforcing the tinted glass permit directive.

“Following our discussions with senior police officers, we agreed that enforcement of the tinted permit should be suspended pending the outcome of a joint review committee,” he said.

According to him, the committee will assess both the legal and security dimensions of the policy and propose new guidelines for its implementation.

Ananaba stressed that SPIDEL’s intervention was not confrontational but aimed at promoting justice, accountability, and public confidence in law enforcement.

“SPIDEL is not a body of activists; our focus is public interest and development,” he noted.

He also announced that the SPIDEL 2025 Conference will take place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, from December 1 to 5, focusing on reforms in justice administration, governance, and international collaboration for human rights promotion.

Meanwhile, the Vance Centre for International Justice has proposed a partnership with NBA-SPIDEL to strengthen public interest law and institutionalise pro bono legal services across Africa.

The Centre’s Africa Initiative Director, Mrs. Adaobi Egboka, said the collaboration would enhance access to justice, ethical legal practice, and professional development within the continent’s legal community.

Egboka explained that the initiative would help the NBA create a structured pro bono framework, establish a database of participating law firms, and develop standards for monitoring legal aid efforts. She also called for a “Pro Bono Declaration for Africa” to encourage law firms to dedicate free legal services to underprivileged citizens, citing the success of a similar programme in Kenya.