Borno State Police Command has warned that criminals are increasingly using tinted vehicles to conceal their identities and carry out unlawful activities, prompting renewed enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit across Nigeria.
ASP Nahum Daso, the Command’s spokesperson, said in a statement on Saturday that crime data revealed a disturbing trend in which armed robbers, kidnappers, drug traffickers, and terrorists exploit dark-tinted windows to evade detection.
“Evidence from our Crime Frequency Data shows that tinted vehicles have frequently been used to conceal or facilitate serious crimes,” Daso said.
He cited the April 2024 murder of a University of Maiduguri lecturer, where CCTV footage failed to identify suspects due to the vehicle’s heavily tinted windows.
Another incident in September 2025 involved three children who tragically suffocated inside a locked, dark-tinted car, unnoticed by passersby.
Daso emphasized that the new permit system is designed to enhance public safety without infringing on legitimate use. He clarified that factory-fitted tints, VIPs, and individuals with medical conditions such as photophobia are exempt from the regulation.
“The digital permit process will capture biometric data, NIN, and full vehicle details, creating a verifiable database to aid investigations,” he said.
The Police assured citizens that officers would act professionally and urged the public to report misconduct through the Complaint Response Unit (CRU).
