The Nigeria Police Force has reacted to reports of a Federal High Court order directing it to maintain the status quo in the ongoing case concerning the enforcement of tinted glass permits, stating that it has not yet been officially served with the order.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this on Saturday while reacting to reports that the court had restrained the police from arresting or prosecuting motorists over tinted glasses.
The order asked the police to maintain the status quo, halting any action against motorists until the matter is concluded.
Responding to a social media post by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who shared a copy of the order on X (formerly Twitter), the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, clarified that the police had not received formal notification of the court’s directive.
Hundeyin wrote: “While we have not been officially served the court order you’re making reference to, let me, in the meantime, show point no. 8 (of the same order) since you left that part out and focused only on point no. 6. Nigerians deserve a complete picture, not a skewed one.”
The clarification followed claims by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who had circulated a portion of the ruling restraining the police from enforcing the regulation.
“Point 8 of the order reads: “Meanwhile, Reliefs 1, 2 and 3 are hereby refused.”
The reliefs referred to are those sought by the applicant, John Aikpokpo-Martins, on behalf of tinted glass car owners in Nigeria, in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025 — John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector General of Police & Nigeria Police Force. They include
“An order of interim injunction restraining the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, their officers, men, agents, privies and/or contractors from implementing or enforcing the new tinted glass permit policy set to commence on October 6, 2025, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
“An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants from stopping, harassing, arresting, detaining, impounding vehicles or extorting motorists in purported enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
“An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants from using the Parkway Projects account (No. 4001017918) to collect any fees for the renewal of tinted glass permits or to conduct any government business pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
Effiong had earlier posted excerpts of the court order, which restrained the police from taking further action on the enforcement of tinted glass regulations pending the determination of the case.
In the ruling, the Federal High Court sitting in Warri directed the police to maintain the status quo and respect ongoing judicial proceedings.
Confirming the development, lead counsel in the matter, Kunle Edun, SAN, described the order as “a major step in upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of citizens while the substantive issues are yet to be decided.”
The police had in April 2023 announced the resumption of the permit scheme under the Police Specialised Services Automation Project after suspending it in 2022.
