Motorists and vehicle owners in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, have raised alarm over alleged harassment by police officers and the unlawful impounding of their vehicles under the pretext of enforcing the tinted glass permit.
Findings by Vanguard revealed that despite an interim court injunction restraining the police from conducting checks for tinted glass permits, enforcement operations have continued unabated across Calabar and its environs.
Further investigation showed that teams of policemen, particularly from the traffic unit, were stationed at several locations, including in front of the Akim Police Station along IBB Way, Calabar.
The officers, numbering over ten, were seen stopping vehicles and demanding tinted glass permits. Eyewitnesses alleged that even cars without tinted windows were being impounded.
One of the victims, Mr. Dave Odey, a journalist in the state, narrated his ordeal, saying he was driving from the stadium axis toward the police station when officers ordered him to pull over.
“I parked and brought out my papers because they were all complete, but one of the officers came close, looked at my vehicle, and said the front glass was different from the back glass. He then asked for a permit,” Odey said.
“I told him my vehicle glass is not tinted, but he opened my car door and removed the key from the ignition, saying they had orders from above to impound vehicles whose front glass looks different from the back.”
Odey said as he tried to explain that his vehicle was not tinted, the officer claimed there were two types of tinted glass, one completely dark that prevents visibility and another that is slightly dark.
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“Even though they could see inside my vehicle, he said the glass was a little dark. The other officers started shouting at me, saying journalists who should know the law were pretending to be ignorant,” he added.
He further explained that when he called DSP Irene Ugbo, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), she advised him to ensure his documents were complete and asked to speak with the officer. After a brief discussion, his car key was returned to him.
“The officer still insisted that I should obtain a permit for my vehicle glass from the police, claiming it costs N30,000,” Odey said.
Another resident, Mr. Emmanuel Udofia, told journalists that his vehicle was impounded and taken to the police station because officers claimed the glass of his bus was too dark, even though it was factory-fitted.
“I have not done it yet, I am still trying to see who I can call to help me. My family depends on that bus, and if I do not get it out today, there will be no food,” he lamented.
Speaking on the development, Mba Ukweni, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), condemned the police action, stressing that the law does not empower them to impound vehicles or harass motorists over tinted glass when the vehicles’ documents are valid and nothing incriminating is found.
“The court has restrained the police from impounding vehicles or harassing drivers on account of tinted glasses. The police must comply with that order,” Ukweni stated.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Warri recently issued an interim injunction restraining the police from implementing or enforcing the newly announced tinted glass permit policy scheduled to commence on Monday, October 2.
Efforts to reach the Police Spokesperson for reaction proved abortive as but a top Police source who spoke under anonymity told Vanguard that they were yet to receive signal to hault the enforcement.