Outrage as Police defy Court Order, harass vehicle owners over tinted glass in Calabar

There is growing outrage in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, as police officers reportedly continue to harass motorists and impound vehicles over alleged tinted glass violations, despite a subsisting court injunction stopping such operations.
Checks by journalists on Wednesday, revealed that a joint team of policemen and traffic wardens had mounted a checkpoint directly in front of the popular Akim Police Station, where they flagged down vehicles and demanded tinted glass permits.

Witnesses said the officers, numbering about 15, impounded several vehicles, including some without tinted glasses.

One of the victims, John Osakwe, a journalist, who narrated his ordeal to colleagues, said he was stopped while driving from the U.J. Esuene Stadium axis.

“I parked and presented my complete papers. But one of the officers claimed the front glass of my vehicle was different from the back glass and demanded a tinted glass permit,” Osakwe said.

He explained that the officer forcefully opened his car door, seized his key, and claimed there was an order from above to impound any vehicle whose front and rear glasses looked different in shade.

“I told him my vehicle was not tinted. He insisted there were two types of tinted glass: dark and light, and that mine fell into the second category. Even when they could clearly see inside the car, they accused me of pretending not to know the law,” Osakwe added.

He said he contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, who advised him to ensure his documents were complete. After she spoke with the officer, his car key was returned, but the policeman still insisted he must obtain a tinted glass permit, allegedly costing ₦30,000.

Another victim, Mr. Edem Udofia, said his commercial bus was seized and driven into the police station on similar grounds. “My bus is factory-fitted, not tinted. If I don’t retrieve it today, my family will go hungry,” he lamented.

Reacting to the ongoing clampdown, Mba Ukweni, SAN, faulted the police action, saying no law authorizes officers to impound vehicles with slightly shaded glasses if no crime is involved.

“The court has restrained the police from impounding vehicles or harassing motorists over tinted glass. They must comply with that order,” Ukweni stated.

It would be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Warri had issued an interim injunction restraining the Nigeria Police from enforcing the controversial tinted glass permit policy slated to begin on Monday, October 6.