How far the ban on tinted glass prohibition gone, Emeka Ibemere asked?

On Feb 24, 2011 the then Minister of Police Affairs, Humphrey Enemakwu Abah issued directive concerning the use of tinted glass on vehicles and wholesomely ban tinted glasses on vehicles and   asked the law enforcement agents to enforce the order and arrest the defaulters.

 The order exempted Inspector General of Police, ministers, members of the National Assembly, Judges and other top government officials.

 Humphrey Abah then made the announcement and noted that President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark and his deputy, Speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy as well as state governors and their deputies were exempted from the use of tinted glasses.

in justifying the ban, the minister disclosed that the order was a kind of security checks put in place to guarantee security in the build up to the then April general elections and as he put it; “help us overcome the challenges of modern crimes like bombings, terrorists acts and the movement of arms and explosives.”

He didn’t stop at that. According to him, by the ban, all hitherto permits or authorisation given in the past for the use of tinted glasses stood cancelled. The minister stated that vehicles with factory fitted tinted glasses which are verifiable would be exempted from the ban in the interim.

He said the government action was covered under the Motor Vehicles Prohibition of Tainted Glass Act Cap M21 (An Act to prohibit the tainting or treating in any other way, any glass fitted in a motor vehicle so as to render persons in the vehicle obscure or invincible), adding that all states Police Commissioners are to ensure strict compliance with the directive.

He mandated the police to punish those who ignore the government directive. According to Abah, any such violator would have him or herself to blame as Policemen at checkpoints had been given directives to stop such cars and physically remove such tints from the vehicles once it is discovered to be fitted films. Nigerians of all hue commended the minister while some saw it as an infringement on their fundamental rights.

On Friday March 4, 2011, the then Hon. Minister of Police Affairs, Humphrey Enemakwu Abah published an advertorial entitled Expiration of the deadline on the use of vehicles with tinted glasses by which his ministry announced that Saturday March 5, 2011 was the deadline given to the general public against the use of tinted glasses, covered number plates and unauthorized use of siren.

 Also Commissioners of Police in all the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory were directed to commence physical apprehension and prosecution of offenders pursuant to the Motor Vehicle (Prohibition of Tinted Glasses) Act.

Despite the hue and cry of motorists, the Nigerian police swung into action. The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, ordered his men to commence physical apprehension of persons who use vehicles with tinted glasses. Arrests were made and some tinted glasses were removed from some vehicles. But two years done the line and with the removal of Abah, the order and its enforcement have gone with Abah.

Investigation by Daily Newswatch shows that aside the fact that the order has been relaxed and gone with its initiator, policemen on checkpoints now use it as a conduit pipe to extort money from motorists, while the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), and the Inspector General of Police seem to grow blind eye to the directive as they no longer see to the execution of the order. Security stakeholders are worried by the flagrant use of the tinted glass vehicles without any police inspection. In Lagos, it’s a common feature to see motorists moving on tinted glasses without any check by the police. According to stakeholders, the police have relaxed the order as if the growing insecurity in the country has gone.

Many Nigerians who commended the order then are now worried about its implementation.

Reacting to the sloppy implementation of the ban on tinted glass, a commercial driver in Lagos and a member of the Nigerian Road Transport Workers Union, Chinyere Nwosu, said he was sure that the order would not see the light of the day and it would die as soon as possible. He said he never believed in the workability of that order then and that today, he has been vindicated. According to him, the order was a way created by the Minister then for the police to extort money from motorists.

 Magnus Johnson, a trader called on the Minister of police Affairs not to ‘kill’ that proactive form of security strategy on the ban of tinted glass. He said it‘s a healthy security checks and that many things go on under such dark scenes. “The security of Nigerians is more important; as far as security is concerned, every other thing should take a second place. This is public security; we have to stop using tinted glasses because we don’t want bad people to hide inside their cars using tinted glasses to cause public disorder,” Johnson stated.

Ebere Akachukwu, a student quipped. “Am surprise that nobody is being harassed again about tinted glass on vehicles as it were two years ago. Its part of the nation’s problems, when one thing will be said and it will not be followed strictly as they said it”.

Olumide Abayomi who has a reflective glass in his car, averred that there seems to be a mix up issue on while the order died. According to him, it’s one of those policy summersaults or acrobatic rolling over of policies of the Federal Government and their agencies in not following their orders. “I don’t see why the new Minister should discard that order by not seeing its implementation. I remove my tinted glass one week after that order was issued but now nobody is asking about it again. The law enforcement agents have even cashed on it to extort money from motorists”, Abayomi stated.

“Now, if you have the tinted glass and you give them money, they pass you as against what the minister said when it gave out the order”.

Mrs Dunu Chioma, a teacher said its common now than before because no eye is watching on them any longer. According to her people who have skeletons in their cupboard are those who go on tinted glass cars. “If not why wouldn’t people want someone to see him while inside car”? She queried.

 She calls for proper and adequate enforcement of the order on ban on tinted glass vehicles.

On those who claimed to have licence to use tinted

The authority decided to impose the ban due to the fact that some people use it to conceal something you will not be able to see. The fact is that if the glass were transparent, the police could be able to see the people inside and criminals would no longer have a free day.

Police source said vehicles with tinted glasses are mainly used to perpetrate crimes by criminals to avoid the preying eyes of the law enforcement officers from dictating them.

“It is a way of unmasking those who hide under the guise of using tinted glass to commit atrocities in the country. The moment people are stopped from using it; criminals will no longer indulge in criminal acts. Rather, the ban would go a long way in reducing criminal tendencies thereby compelling them to stop their negative acts. But I’m surprise the way the order was relaxed recently”, a police officer at Ikotun Police Division said, pleading anonymity. 

Hilary Jekende a civil servant with the Lagos State Government, said he has noticed that the order was no longer strictly enforced because of the corruption that has eaten deep into the marrow of the police system in Nigeria and that was what has hinder them from enforcing the order quit long time ago.

According to him, it’s the same thing with the ban order on the use of crash helmet in the country. What are we seeing? He asked.

Investigation reveals that the policemen on checkpoints use the order as another avenue to siphon vehicle owners as they collect money from defaulters and allow them to continue their trade. The same fate that took place in the enforcement of crash helmet has definitely befallen the order on the tinted glass restriction.

Police officer in Abuja blamed the ill-enforcement of the order on the ban on the politicians rather than the police. He said politicians ‘killed’ the idea.

According to him, some of the politicians wives, children, relations and wards move on tinted glass vehicles and police in Abuja are helpless in enforcing the order because every little attempt to enforce the order, they would call one senator or governor and that one would talk to the police, all will be it.

  Though, he didn’t disagree that the order on the tinted glass ban was an avenue by the police to extort people of their money. He suggested that there should be some measures of training on the part of the policeman to deal with people on their merit.

According the police officer, policemen should be reasonable enough to understand the people who have collected the permit earlier than now and stop issuing such permit again, so that nobody would go and collect another permit from anywhere.

Checks by Daily Newswatch revealed that for the last two years when the order announced to date, nobody has been arrested since the order was issued or have his tinted glass removed. Not even those with cellophane- papers –laden- tinted- glass- vehicles.

Investigation indicates that it’s still business as usual, as so many motorists are still seen using the tinted glasses unhindered. The police are insisting that the ban on the use of vehicles with tinted glasses is still in force.