Nigeria’s inspector general of police, Usman Baba has made clarifications on the directive to ban issuance of tinted permits to vehicles.
In a statement made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Wednesday, signed by Force PRO, Frank Mba, IGP Usman disclosed that all existing vehicle tinted glass permits, duly issued by the Nigeria Police Force, remain valid.
The clarification was important due to public enquiries following the announcement of the suspension of issuance of new tinted permits by the IGP during the meeting with Senior Police Officers at the Force Headquarters, Abuja on Monday, 7th June, 2021.
The suspension, which is a temporary measure, will remain in force pending the release of a new protocol that would regulate the issuance of tinted permits for vehicle owners and operators in the country. The IGP noted that the move is part of efforts to streamline the process of issuance and usage in line with the provisions of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act which is explicit on conditions for the use of vehicles with tinted glasses in Nigeria.
The statement read in part; “This is in addition to, among other things, effectively address contemporary security challenges associated with the usage of tinted glasses by criminal elements who hide under the cover of tinted vehicles to carry out their nefarious activities.”
“In a similar vein, the IGP stated that existing SPY number plates must be used by authorized users, for purposes and vehicles specified by law while issuance of new SPY number plates remain on hold pending the release of a new protocol that would guide its issuance and usage in the country.”
“The IGP specifically directed the AIGs and CPs to ensure that all SPY number plates currently in use by unauthorised users or fitted to unauthorised vehicles, are retrieved forthwith.”
