TUNJI Disu, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), has said he would ban all tinted vehicles across Nigeria if he had the authority to do so, citing rising security concerns linked to their use.
News Point Nigeria reports that Disu made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday while responding to concerns raised by Afam Osigwe, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), over the renewal process and commercialisation of tinted glass permits.
“I have a different view about it entirely. We have a security situation in the country now,” Disu said.
“If I have my way, there would be no vehicle that would be tinted in the country. And we are moving towards it.”
The IGP said tinted vehicles are frequently used by kidnappers, armed robbers, and operators of “one-chance” robbery gangs, describing them as a major security risk that requires stricter regulation.
He recalled that during his tenure as Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), investigations revealed that many vehicles used by “one-chance” gangs were fully tinted.
According to him, a significant number of the 27 vehicles recovered from such criminal networks had darkened windows, reinforcing the link between tinted vehicles and criminal activity.
Disu also criticised the increasing use of extremely dark tints on windscreens and rear windows, describing the trend as dangerous for law enforcement operations.
He explained that heavily tinted vehicles make it difficult for security operatives to identify occupants during stop-and-search duties, thereby exposing officers to greater risks.
The IGP noted that only persons with genuine security or medical reasons are permitted by law to use tinted glass, adding that even in such cases, visibility must not be completely obstructed.
He added that the police would soon intensify enforcement actions against illegally tinted vehicles across the country.
Earlier, NBA President Afam Osigwe stated that the association had no objection to the regulation of tinted glass permits but insisted that the process should not be turned into a revenue-generating scheme.
He questioned the need for periodic renewal of permits, arguing that once vehicle information is properly stored in a database, repeated renewals should not be necessary.
Osigwe also criticised the involvement of private companies in collecting fees on behalf of the police for the permits.
However, he affirmed that the NBA supports enforcement against vehicles whose tints completely obscure occupants from security officials.
Last December, the NBA had criticised the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over the reactivation of enforcement of the suspended tinted glass permit policy.
The police had earlier announced that enforcement would resume on January 2, 2026, citing an increase in vehicle-related crimes across the country.