By Dada Oluwatoyin
Abuja, Dec. 16, 2025 – The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has raised strong objections to the recently introduced police permit scheme which the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun attempts to reinstate on January 2, 2026.
NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN in a press briefing on Tuesday criticised the scheme as a revenue sharing one rather than a genuine law enforcement effort.
The NBA president appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Attorney General of the Federation to intervene and halt the policy which he described as an unlawful scheme.
Osigwe argued that the policy is already under active litigation where the police, represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had previously given a court undertaking to suspend implementation until the case was resolved.
He said the recent move to reinstate it disregards judicial authority, undermines constitutional principles, and risks institutionalizing extortion at a time of widespread economic hardship.
“This is a brazen disregard for the courts, and undermines the rule of law and sets a dangerous precedent,’’ he said.
According to him,“ This constitutes a brazen disregard for ongoing judicial processes and represents a calculated effort to institutionalize extortion, thereby inflicting further financial pain on Nigerians already burdened by harsh economic conditions.’’
The legal body also challenged the National Assembly’s legislative constitutional validity, and its competence to create the enabling law.
NBA maintained that the Nigerian Police Force is constitutionally mandated as a law enforcement agency, not a revenue generator.
He also raised concerns about accountability and transparency and questioned why the tinted permit fees are reportedly directed into private accounts rather than the government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA).
According to the senior legal practitioner, the scheme places unnecessary restrictions on citizens’ rights, creating hurdles that contradict constitutional guarantees and insisted that the judiciary’s role in safeguarding fundamental freedoms is being sidelined.’’
He argued that existing vehicle registration processes already provide sufficient data for crime prevention, making the new permit redundant.
The association pointed out that the January 2nd resumption date is strategically timed to coerce citizens particularly those traveling for the festive season to rush and pay the exorbitant fees.
“This creates a high-pressure environment conducive to corruption. ‘’
“The police must be partners in progress, not obstacles, they should focus on protecting lives rather than imposing financial burdens on citizens,’’ he emphasized.
