Regardless of a subsisting court docket order restraining the Nigeria Police Power from imposing the tinted glass allow coverage, officers in Calabar, Cross River State, have continued to cease motorists and impound autos below the guise of enforcement.
A staff of journalists who monitored the scenario yesterday noticed about 15 cops and visitors wardens stationed in entrance of the Akim Police Station alongside IBB Method, stopping autos and demanding tinted glass permits from drivers.
The officers have been seen impounding vehicles, together with some with out tinted home windows, and questioning motorists over the alleged use of “factory-fitted tinted glass.” One sufferer, journalist John Osakwe, recounted how he was stopped whereas driving previous the station.
“I parked and confirmed all of them my full papers,” he stated. “However one of many officers claimed that my entrance glass was completely different from the again glass.
And demanded a allow. I instructed him the car glass will not be tinted.” Osakwe stated the officer forcibly eliminated his automotive key and insisted that they had orders “from above” to impound any car with completely different glass shades.
“Once I referred to as the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, she requested me at hand over the telephone to the officer. After a quick dialogue, my key was returned, however the officer nonetheless insisted I have to get a tinted glass allow for N30,000,” he added. One other motorist, Edem Udofia, acknowledged that his business bus was seized and brought to the station on the identical grounds.
“They stated my bus glass was darkish regardless that it got here that manner from the manufacturing unit. I’ve not gone in but, I’m nonetheless looking for somebody who may also help. My household is dependent upon that bus,” he lamented.
Reacting to the event, Mba Ukweni, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, condemned the police motion, describing it as illegal and in contempt of the court docket.
