Tinted glass permit: Police silence fuels anxiety over August 12 deadline

With just two days to the August 12 deadline for vehicle owners to obtain or regularise their tinted glass permits, the Nigeria Police Force has remained silent on how it plans to enforce the directive, a development that has left motorists anxious and uncertain.

The renewed focus on tinted glass permits dates back to May 1, 2025, when the police reactivated their digital tinted glass permit platform after years of public complaints about abuse, extortion, and arbitrary arrests linked to tinted windows.

The platform, according to the Force, is meant to enhance transparency, make the application process easier, and strengthen national security, particularly in curbing crimes where tinted vehicles are used to conceal occupants’ identities.

To ease compliance, the police initially announced a 30-day grace period from May 1, during which motorists could apply for new permits or regularise existing ones.

Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, stressed in a statement at the time that enforcement would begin once the grace period expired, and warned officers against harassment or extortion during enforcement.

Adejobi said, “To ensure a smooth transition, a 30-day grace period has been approved, effective from May 1, 2025, within which motorists are expected to comply. Enforcement will commence at the end of this period. Officers found engaging in unprofessional conduct, such as extortion or harassment in the course of enforcement, will be decisively dealt with in accordance with extant disciplinary procedures.”

However, following widespread public feedback about application bottlenecks and accessibility issues, including complaints from motorists in rural areas and those without internet access, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, extended the grace period to August 12, 2025.

According to him, the extension was intended to make the process more “citizen-friendly.”

Now, with the deadline just 48 hours away, the absence of updated guidelines on post-deadline enforcement is fuelling fresh concern.

Motorists fear that officers may exploit the situation, given Nigeria’s history of heavy-handed traffic enforcement and roadside extortion.

When contacted, Force spokesperson, Adejobi, simply said, “We will speak on it soon.”

However, the police had yet to issue any statement as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, some motorists who spoke  expressed worry over police silence.

Punch