The Nigeria Police Force has defended its Motor Vehicle Tinted Glass Permit Policy, insisting that the regulation is lawful, security-driven and not intended as a revenue-generating scheme.

In a statement signed by Force Spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin on Tuesday, the Force said it was responding to recent public comments credited to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, which it described as containing “material misrepresentations” about the policy.

Citing Section 2(3)(a) of the Act, Hundeyin said the Inspector-General of Police is legally empowered to issue tinted glass permits, while Section 1(2) requires applicants to provide valid security or health-related reasons. The policy, the Force said, is aimed at addressing public safety concerns, including the use of tinted vehicles in crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery and terrorism.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains a law-abiding institution operating strictly within the framework of the Constitution, extant statutes and valid court orders,” the statement said, adding that the Force has neither acted nor intends to act in contempt of court.

The police also rejected claims that the policy was designed to generate revenue, noting that it is not a revenue-generating agency. However, it clarified that the Police Act, 2020, permits the Force to receive funds that accrue incidentally in the discharge of its statutory duties.

The statement further explained that the current online application process for tinted glass permits operates under the Police Specialized Services Automation Project, which was approved by the Federal Executive Council in July 2022. The project, it said, is implemented through a Public-Private Partnership authorised by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission.

Under the automated system, applications are submitted online, subjected to security screening and approved strictly in line with the law. The police noted that administrative fees paid by applicants are used solely to maintain the technology infrastructure and security systems supporting the process.

Hundeyin also refuted claims made by Osigwe that payments are made into a “private account” operated by Parkway Projects.

“The allegation by the President of the NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe, that payments are made into a “private account” operated by Parkway Projects is entirely false and betrays either a lack of understanding of payment processing systems or outright mischief calculated to mislead members of the public.

“Parkway Projects Limited is a Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed Payment Services Provider, engaged by the Federal Government as a payment collection channel for the Vehicle Tint Permit Project, in the same manner as platforms such as Remita.,” he added.

Hundeyin further noted that the enhanced Tint Permit System was introduced to standardise applications nationwide, improve vetting, and integrate security innovations, previously absent from the process, while eliminating bottlenecks and tendencies for extortion associated with the previous process. (The Guardian)

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