Court Halts Nationwide Enforcement of Tinted Glass Permit Policy

A Delta State High Court has barred the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Nigeria Police from enforcing the tinted glass permit policy nationwide pending determination of a substantive suit.

A fresh legal setback has emerged for the NPF over its planned resumption of the tinted glass permit policy after a Delta State High Court stepped in, issuing an interim order that freezes enforcement nationwide and raises broader questions about policing methods and citizens’ rights.

The Court sitting in Orerokpe on Wednesday granted an ex-parte injunction restraining the Nigeria Police Force and its leadership from enforcing the tinted glass permit policy across the country.

The order also bars the police from harassing, arresting, detaining, or extorting motorists under the guise of enforcing the policy.

The respondents in the suit include the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command. The ruling effectively halts the police announcement to resume enforcement of the policy on January 2, 2026.

The trial judge, Joe Egwu, issued the interim orders pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application before the court. The injunction restrains the police and all their officers, agents, or contractors from implementing or continuing the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy nationwide.

In addition to suspending enforcement, the court also restrained the IGP and the police from continuing to use the Parkway Projects Account, described in court documents as a private contractor’s account, for the conduct of any government business. The order will remain in force until the substantive suit is heard and determined.

The case was instituted by a Nigerian citizen, Israel Joe, in suit number HOR/FHR/M.3/2025. He was represented by a legal team led by Kunle Edun, SAN, alongside other counsel.

In his ruling, Justice Egwu held that the interim measures were necessary to preserve the subject matter of the suit and protect citizens from potential rights violations pending a full hearing. The court emphasized that no further steps should be taken by the police to implement or enforce the policy until the legal questions raised are resolved.

The ruling introduces a significant pause in the Nigeria Police Force’s planned policy rollout and is likely to intensify public debate around law enforcement practices, accountability, and civil liberties. All eyes will now be on the substantive hearing, which will determine whether the suspension becomes permanent or is lifted.