With just two days left until the August 12 deadline for vehicle owners to secure or update their tinted glass permits, uncertainty still hangs in the air. The Nigeria Police Force has yet to explain how it intends to enforce the rule, leaving many motorists anxious and bracing for possible roadside confrontations.
The story began on May 1, 2025, when the police relaunched their digital tinted glass permit platform after years of public outcry over abuse, extortion, and arbitrary arrests tied to tinted windows. The new platform was supposed to bring transparency, make applications easier, and help fight crimes where tinted vehicles are used to hide identities.
A 30-day grace period was announced at the time, with enforcement set to follow immediately. Officers were warned not to harass or extort motorists during the process. But after complaints poured in — especially from rural dwellers and people without internet access — the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, pushed the deadline to August 12, saying the extension was meant to make things “citizen-friendly.”
Now, the clock is ticking, and the silence from the police is making people nervous.
“When it’s just two days to go, the police should be sending reminders, not keeping everyone in suspense,” said private car owner Jamiu Azeez. “We all know how the police can be. If they don’t talk, some officers might use this to extort people. My advice is to just get the permit now, to avoid trouble.”
Samuel, a commercial driver, has been deliberately avoiding checkpoints. “We didn’t hear anything from the police. They should tell us if we still have to apply or if there’ll be another extension. And honestly, it should be free — why pay for something that came with the car? This should be part of vehicle registration,” he argued.
Others say the timing couldn’t be worse. “The N16,000 they’re asking for is just wicked,” said Oladimeji Armstrong, another car owner. “Nigerians can barely feed or fuel their cars, and now this? President Bola Tinubu should step in and stop it. This won’t solve insecurity — tinted cars aren’t the cause of terrorism or banditry.”
For Wale Daniel, the easiest way out is to simply strip the tint from his car. “It came with the vehicle when I bought it. I have no use for it. If I don’t remove it now, the police will disturb me,” he said.
Some believe the permit push is a distraction from bigger issues. “Criminals and terrorists are everywhere, but our security agencies are chasing tinted glass,” said Kano-based Luqman Ibrahim. “Does a terrorist need a tinted car to strike? This will only give some officers another excuse to extort people.”
With enforcement supposedly starting on August 12, the unanswered question is simple: will the police go full throttle, take a phased approach, or quietly extend the deadline again? Until that answer comes, motorists remain in limbo — and wary of what might await them at the next checkpoint.
