Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the entire police establishment have yet another opportunity to demonstrate genuine respect for the rule of law, following a recent court order suspending the enforcement of tinted glass permits.
In Nigeria, even something as ordinary as tinted glass can become a national drama. Long before the Federal High Court suspended the enforcement of tinted glass permits on October 2, 2025, media reports already claimed that some policemen had begun harassing motorists at checkpoints. That was before the gavel fell. Now, with the court’s ruling in place, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, is yet to issue a clear directive to halt enforcement, leaving Nigerians worried that the harassment will not only continue but grow worse.
Development Diaries reports that the Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, on Friday, asked the police and the IGP to maintain the status quo and ‘respect judicial processes pending further proceedings in the matter’.
The Public Interest and Development Law Section of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which filed the case against the IGP (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/182/2025), had cited ‘several reported cases of harassment and extortion of citizens by policemen at checkpoints on the basis of this policy’.
For a democratic society, respect for court rulings is essential. When the IGP delays or ignores the court’s suspension, it sends a message that some citizens are subject to law and others are above it.
The IGP must therefore move quickly, as his silence would only breed confusion, and confusion at Nigerian checkpoints is like handing out a free licence for extortion.
While the court case is pending, police officers can still perform their duty of ensuring safety without disobeying the court by being.
For example, if stopped, drivers can be politely asked to wind down tinted windows for inspection and identification. Officers must not demand permits or impound vehicles since enforcement is suspended, and supervisors must monitor their men to ensure compliance.
Citizens should be treated with dignity, not suspicion, unless there is reasonable cause beyond the tint. This approach would ensure respect for the court order and reassure citizens that the police understand the difference between safety checks and harassment.
For the IGP, this is another golden opportunity for him to show leadership; to win public confidence.
He should urgently issue a clear, written directive to all police commands suspending enforcement of the tinted glass permit until the court gives its verdict. And this directive should be made public so Nigerians know their rights.
The police boss should also order investigations into reports of harassment and ensure disciplinary measures for any officer caught disobeying the suspension.
Let’s be honest. Tinted glass is not the problem; misuse of authority is. And for many Nigerians, factory-fitted tints are standard, and others use them for health, privacy, or comfort. None of these should automatically make citizens targets of intimidation.
When enforcement is selective or abused, it ceases to be about public safety and becomes about revenue generation. Nigerians are already battling economic hardship, insecurity, and poor infrastructure; they should not also have to battle roadside harassment over tinted windows.
