The Nigeria Police Force has issued a strong rebuttal to recent criticisms of its Motor Vehicle Tinted Glass Permit Policy, firmly stating that the regulation is a lawful and necessary security measure. The response comes after public comments made by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, which the police claim contain "material misrepresentations" about the initiative.
Police Clarify Legal Basis and Security Imperative
In a statement released on Tuesday, 19 December 2025, and signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the police detailed the legal foundation for the policy. Hundeyin cited Section 2(3)(a) of the Police Act, which empowers the Inspector-General of Police to issue such permits. He further referenced Section 1(2), which mandates that applicants provide valid security or health-related reasons for seeking permission to use tinted glass on their vehicles.
The police emphasized that the core objective of the policy is to tackle serious public safety threats. They highlighted the recurring use of heavily tinted vehicles in committing grave crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, and acts of terrorism. The statement asserted, "The Nigeria Police Force remains a law-abiding institution operating strictly within the framework of the Constitution, extant statutes and valid court orders," adding that the Force has not acted in contempt of any court order.
Addressing Allegations of Revenue Generation and Private Accounts
The police forcefully rejected the notion that the tinted glass permit system is a revenue-generating scheme. They clarified that the Nigeria Police Force is not a revenue agency. However, they noted that the Police Act of 2020 permits the Force to receive funds that accrue incidentally in the course of performing its statutory duties.
A significant part of the rebuttal focused on refuting claims by NBA President Osigwe that application fees were being paid into a "private account" operated by Parkway Projects. Hundeyin described this allegation as "entirely false" and suggested it stemmed from either a misunderstanding of digital payment systems or deliberate misinformation.
He explained that Parkway Projects Limited is a Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed Payment Services Provider. The company was engaged by the Federal Government as a payment collection channel for the Vehicle Tint Permit Project, operating in a similar capacity to well-known platforms like Remita. The administrative fees collected, the police stated, are used exclusively to maintain the technology and security infrastructure supporting the application process.
The Automated Application Process and Its Benefits
The statement provided details on the modernized application system. The current online process operates under the Police Specialized Services Automation Project (POSSAP), which received approval from the Federal Executive Council in July 2022. This project is implemented through a Public-Private Partnership authorized by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
Under this automated framework:
- Applications are submitted digitally.
- Each application undergoes rigorous security screening.
- Approvals are granted strictly in compliance with the law.
Hundeyin concluded that this enhanced Tint Permit System was introduced to achieve nationwide standardization, improve vetting procedures, and integrate critical security features that were missing from the old manual process. He stated that the new system also aims to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and the potential for extortion that was associated with the previous method.
