By Adewole Kehinde
I read with deep concern the recent publication by one Felix Oboagwina titled “As IGP Egbetokun resurrects IBB’s draconian tinted-glass law” in the Sun Newspaper.
While the headline may have been deliberately sensational, it is important to set the record straight and remind Nigerians that the enforcement of tinted-glass regulations is not a matter of personal discretion by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM. Rather, it is the enforcement of an existing law that has been in place for over a decade.
For clarity, the requirement for a tinted-glass permit is firmly backed by Nigerian law. Section 66(2) of the “National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012”, made pursuant to the “Federal Road Safety Corps (Establishment) Act”, clearly stipulates that no person shall use a vehicle with tinted glasses without the approval of the appropriate authority. This is not a new creation by IGP Egbetokun; it is the law of the land, validly made under the authority of the National Assembly.
It is therefore misleading to suggest that the IGP is “resurrecting a draconian law” or dragging the country back to dark days. On the contrary, he is simply ensuring compliance with the Nigerian Constitution and statutory regulations.
Equally important is the issue of payments for the permit. It must be understood that IGP Egbetokun has not imposed any N14,000 levy on motorists. The Nigeria Police, as an institution, charges fees for certain specialised services in line with the law.
This is not a personal revenue stream for the IGP. Indeed, under the “Police Act 2020”, provisions were made for the Police to render specialised services for a fee. The Police Specialised Services Automation Project (POSSAP) was created to ensure transparency, efficiency, and accountability in that process.
There is no secret or “separate account” being operated by the IGP, contrary to insinuations in certain quarters.
Furthermore, the Police are not acting outside their mandate. Section 4 of the “Police Act 2020”, which derives its authority from the Nigerian Constitution, defines the duties of the Police: “to prevent and detect crime, apprehend offenders, preserve law and order, protect life and property, and enforce all laws and regulations which they are empowered to enforce.”
By enforcing the tinted-glass permit, the Police are not embarking on an ill-advised misadventure. They are carrying out their constitutional responsibility to enforce valid laws made by the National Assembly and subsidiary regulations by authourized agencies.
Those who describe this enforcement as “draconian” should ask themselves: who truly stands to benefit from unregulated use of tinted glasses? The answer is simple: criminal elements who hide under tinted windows to perpetrate their crimes.
Only those with sinister motives will kick against such regulation. Law-abiding citizens who require tinted permits for medical or security reasons have nothing to fear, as the permit process provides for exemptions on legitimate grounds.
In conclusion, Nigerians must resist the temptation of reducing every national issue to politics and propaganda.
IGP Kayode Egbetokun is not reversing the nation into authoritarianism. He is upholding the law as it exists. To demonise the enforcement of a legally valid regulation as “draconian” is not only unfair but dangerous.
The Nigeria Police must be supported to carry out their duties within the ambit of the law, and tinted-glass regulation is clearly within that mandate.
Adewole Kehinde is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja. 08166240846. kennyadewole@gmail.com @kennyadewole
