Security Insights.ng

07/01/2026

07/01/2026

PRESS RELEASE

DSS Surveillance at Kuje Correctional Service Over Alleged Plot to Rearrest Abubakar Malami Raises Grave Rule of Law and Safety Concerns

The Office of Abubakar Malami, SAN has been reliably informed of plans by government security agencies to rearrest him immediately upon his release, despite being granted bail by a court of competent jurisdiction.

This development is deeply troubling and raises grave concerns about due process, the rule of law, and personal safety.

It will be recalled that weeks ago, a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) granted bail to Abubakar Malami, SAN. However, the bail order was not honoured, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission declined to effect his release, thereby frustrating a valid judicial decision.

We are now credibly informed that fresh plans are underway to rearrest Malami on what are believed to be trumped-up and unrelated charges, immediately after his release on bail in the current matter. Intelligence available to us further indicates that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have mounted surveillance and are on standby to execute this plan.

This pattern of actions—granting bail on paper while preparing fresh arrests to ensure continued detention—represents a grave assault on constitutional safeguards and an abuse of state power. It undermines public confidence in the justice system and raises serious questions about respect for judicial authority.

We therefore place it clearly on record that the safety of Abubakar Malami, SAN, his family, and his staff is under serious threat. Any act of intimidation, unlawful detention, or harm arising from these actions must be fully accounted for by those responsible.

Abubakar Malami, SAN, has consistently demonstrated his respect for the rule of law and his readiness to submit himself to all lawful judicial processes. What is being demanded is nothing more than obedience to court orders, fairness, and constitutional protection, as guaranteed to every citizen.

We call on relevant authorities, the legal community, civil society organisations, and the international community to closely monitor this situation and to prevail on all security agencies to act strictly within the confines of the law.

Further updates will be communicated to the public as developments unfold.

Video in comment section

Signed:
Mohammed Bello Doka
Special Assistant on Media
to Abubakar Malami, SAN

07/01/2026

REORDERING NIGERIA'S SECURITY PRIORITIES: THE ROLE OF PRIVATE SECURITY

By Isah Mohammed Shambo

Nigeria’s national defence and internal security architecture has come under intense strain in recent months, arguably more than at any other period in recent history. Developments have unfolded at a pace well beyond the ordinary, generating sustained strategic pressure on the state while testing institutional resilience and public confidence.

From the propagation of the so-called “Christian genocide” narrative and Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern, to persistent coup rumours, change of service and minister of defence, and the abduction and subsequent release of schoolchildren in Niger and Kebbi States, the security environment has remained volatile. This volatility has been further amplified by the escalation of violent attacks on rural communities by bandits, the growing entrenchment of mass abductions across parts of the North Central states of Kwara, Niger and Kogi, and the killing of a Brigadier General in the North East by suspected ISWAP elements, among other disturbing incidents.

Taken together, these developments highlight the depth, complexity and evolving nature of Nigeria’s security challenges. They have stretched operational capacity, strained inter-agency coordination and heightened public anxiety.

Unsurprisingly, the government has responded with a series of countermeasures aimed at restoring balance, improving deployment efficiency and reasserting control over a rapidly deteriorating security landscape.Prominent among these measures is the presidential directive ordering the withdrawal of police officers from VIP protection duties, with such responsibilities to be transferred to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). In principle, this decision is both necessary and strategically sound. Nigeria’s policing resources are severely overstretched, yet for years a significant number of officers have been deployed to protect political office holders, business elites and private individuals. Redirecting these officers to frontline policing aligns with global best practice and addresses long-standing concerns about the misallocation of scarce law enforcement resources.

However, this policy shift also exposes a critical structural challenge. The NSCDC is already under significant operational pressure from contemporary security threats squarely within its statutory mandate. These include the persistent vandalism of oil and gas pipelines, power transmission lines and telecommunications infrastructure; the proliferation of illegal mining sites that finance armed groups and criminal networks; the sabotage of railway assets and public utilities; and the protection of critical national assets increasingly targeted by criminal elements. The Corps is also deeply involved in safeguarding educational institutions, responding to attacks on schools, and supporting internal security operations in high-risk communities. Without deliberate reform, capacity expansion and clear role differentiation, transferring VIP protection responsibilities to the NSCDC risks overstretching the agency, diluting its effectiveness in these priority areas and merely redistributing vulnerability within the security system rather than strengthening it.

This reality brings into sharp focus a foundational gap within Nigeria’s security ecosystem: the underdeveloped and underutilised state of the private security industry. As the country recalibrates its security deployment in response to evolving threats, the absence of a professional, well-regulated and intelligence-capable private security sector increasingly stands out as a strategic weakness that can no longer be ignored.

Across Nigeria, private security operatives are omnipresent at banks, corporate facilities, residential estates, critical infrastructure sites and neighbourhood access points. Yet this visibility masks a fundamental deficiency. The private security industry remains numerically large but functionally shallow. Its operations are dominated by rudimentary static guarding, marked by inconsistent training standards, weak regulatory oversight, poor remuneration and a limited sense of professional identity. In a threat environment shaped by adaptive criminal syndicates, kidnapping networks, insurgent cells and organised banditry, this represents a significant intelligence and security deficit.

Our current security threats are rarely spontaneous. They are typically preceded by reconnaissance, pattern-of-life analysis, logistical preparation and local facilitation. These preparatory indicators often surface at the community level, precisely where private security personnel operate on a daily basis. Properly trained and effectively integrated, such operatives could serve as a critical layer of VIP protection as well as human intelligence, capable of identifying anomalies, suspicious behaviours and emerging threat indicators.

Unfortunately, in the absence of structured VIP protection and intelligence training, standardised reporting mechanisms and trusted information-sharing channels, this potentially valuable element of our national security assets is routinely underutilized.

Reforming the private security sector is not about militarisation or the creation of parallel security forces. Rather, it is about capability development and strategic integration. A professionalised private security ecosystem should function as a force multiplier, providing early warning, enhanced situational awareness and preventative intelligence support to statutory security agencies. Achieving this requires mandatory baseline training in observation skills, threat recognition, behavioural analysis, incident documentation and confidential intelligence reporting. In Nigeria’s current threat landscape, intelligence-led security, not indiscriminate firepower, is the defining requirement.

Beyond security outcomes, the socio-economic implications of reform are significant. Nigeria’s youth unemployment crisis continues to pose both social and security risks. A restructured private security industry, grounded in professionalism, skills development and clear career progression, could absorb large numbers of employable youths into dignified and regulated work.Opportunities extend beyond traditional guarding roles to areas such as security operations centres, surveillance systems management, access control analytics and risk assessment support. This pathway offers a constructive alternative to the criminal and extremist recruitment pipelines that thrive on economic desperation.

Equally critical is regulation. Weak oversight within the private security sector constitutes a latent national security risk. Inadequate vetting, poor supervision and lax compliance create opportunities for insider compromise, criminal infiltration and information leakage. A strengthened regulatory regime, anchored on rigorous licensing, comprehensive background checks, continuous training audits and enforceable codes of conduct, is essential to protecting both public trust and operational integrity.

The economic dimension of security reform cannot be overstated. Persistent insecurity remains a major deterrent to domestic and foreign investment.Organisations operating in high-risk environments face increased costs, reduced productivity and, in some cases, complete withdrawal. A credible, intelligence-driven private security framework would enhance investor confidence, protect critical economic assets and directly support growth in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, logistics and technology. Security reform, therefore, is not merely a law enforcement issue; it is a core pillar of national economic resilience.

International experience offers useful lessons. Countries such as South Africa, operating within similarly complex security environments, have institutionalised regulated private security as a complementary component of national security strategy. This integration allows public law enforcement agencies to focus on their core mandates while leveraging private-sector capacity within clearly defined legal and operational boundaries. Nigeria can and must adapt these lessons to its own realities.

The presidential directive on VIP protection should not be viewed as a standalone administrative adjustment. It ought to serve as the catalyst for a comprehensive reform agenda that redefines the role of private security within Nigeria’s internal security architecture. The country must move beyond viewing private security as a peripheral necessity and begin to recognise it as a strategic partner in intelligence gathering, prevention and community-level risk mitigation.

Ultimately, Nigeria’s security challenge is not one of only manpower, but of structure, coordination and strategy.Moreso,we can not leave the fight against insecurity to our military and law enforcement agencies alone.We need all elements of our national power.Professionalising the private security sector through robust regulation, intelligence integration, standardised training and improved welfare is no longer optional. It is a strategic imperative. Properly harnessed, private security can become a stabilising force, enhancing national situational awareness, supporting law enforcement, creating employment and contributing meaningfully to a safer and more secure Nigeria. The time to act is now.

27/12/2025

Trump/Tinubu Ignores Borno, Zamfara, Katsina, Niger —The Sokoto Strike and the Politics of Symbolic Warfare

By Mohammed Bello Doka

When airstrikes were announced in Sokoto State today, the first question Nigerians asked was not who authorized it but why there. The timing matters because this is not a historical debate; it is a live security decision unfolding in real time, demanding clarity now—not after narratives have hardened. That question has still not been answered—because answering it would expose an uncomfortable truth: this operation was driven more by politics and symbolism than by the urgent need to protect Nigerian lives.

For years, Nigeria’s deadliest killing fields have been well documented. Borno State , Zamfara State, Katsina State, Niger State, and parts of Kebbi State have hosted the most entrenched bandit and terror infrastructures in the country. Entire forests are named in security briefs. Entire corridors are known to villagers. Entire commanders are mentioned casually in daily conversations, radio programs, and court filings. These are not hidden enclaves; they are open secrets. Yet when foreign firepower finally arrives, it bypasses these epicentres and lands in Sokoto—chosen less for operational necessity than for what it represents.

Sokoto is symbolic. It is historically associated with the Sokoto Caliphate, a name that resonates far beyond Nigeria’s borders. A strike there sends a message. It photographs well. It fits neatly into global narratives about “Islamist terror.” But symbolism does not dismantle terror economies, nor does it end mass kidnappings in Zamfara, Katsina, or Niger where Nigerians are killed weekly. Symbolism does not rescue communities living under daily siege, nor does it interrupt the revenue chains of banditry that have thrived for years in plainly identifiable locations.

This is where the politics begin.

For Donald Trump, the calculus is clear. He is not fighting for Nigerian villagers. He is fighting for political capital at home—burnishing his credentials before a conservative Christian base and pro-Israel Jewish constituencies that respond strongly to emotional, muscular, headline-friendly actions against anything framed as “Islamic terror.” Sokoto’s symbolism offers ideological resonance that travels well in Western political discourse. Zamfara’s forests do not. Niger State’s terror camps do not. Katsina’s bandit corridors do not. The choice of target reveals the audience, not the battlefield.

For Bola Tinubu, the incentives are just as troubling. This administration has increasingly looked outward for validation rather than inward for legitimacy. Western applause now substitutes for domestic accountability. A symbolic strike endorsed by foreign partners is easier than confronting the entrenched failures of Nigeria’s own security architecture in Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger. It creates the appearance of action without the pain of reform. It also raises the disturbing question of agency: did Nigeria shape this operation, or was it merely informed? Either answer is damning. If Nigeria had no meaningful input, that is a sovereignty failure. If Nigeria agreed to symbolic targets over operational ones, that is a governance failure. Both scenarios are deeply alarming.

And yet, Nigerians are owed answers—today, not later.

Who exactly was targeted in Sokoto?
Which camp was hit?
Which commander was neutralised?
Which network was dismantled?

No names have been officially provided. No camps clearly identified. No leaders confirmed eliminated. This absence of specificity is especially troubling given the level of intelligence claimed to underpin the operation. If high-grade intelligence exists, clarity should follow action. Instead, the public is asked to accept broad labels without evidence.

This silence is indefensible. Nigeria’s terror and bandit leadership is not a mystery. Names such as Bello Turji, Ado Aleru, Dogo Gide, and other commanders operating across Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, and Kebbi have been reported repeatedly over the years. Their areas of influence are not hidden. Their routes are known to farmers and villagers long before they are acknowledged by Abuja. Their camps are domiciled in specific forests that Nigerians can name without consulting satellite imagery. If foreign forces claim not to know them, Nigerian authorities certainly do—and that raises a more damning question: why were these figures not the priority targets?

The intelligence paradox deepens the unease. With the world’s most sophisticated surveillance capabilities brought into play, the continued refusal to define the exact group targeted, the precise camp struck, or the specific leaders intended to be eliminated strains credibility. If the claim is uncertainty, then competence must be questioned. If the claim is secrecy, then accountability has been sacrificed. Neither explanation reassures a population that has endured years of violence.

Equally disturbing is the lack of clarity about coordination. What was the level of operational planning between Nigeria and the United States? Did Nigeria propose targets, or was it merely informed as usual? If Nigeria merely received notice, then sovereignty is reduced to a courtesy call. If Nigeria participated in choosing symbolism over substance, then it knowingly sidelined the very regions where Nigerians die the most. Both paths are unacceptable, and both demand answers.

Just weeks earlier, Nigeria demonstrated its capacity for decisive regional action when it intervened militarily to protect the government of Benin during a security crisis. Aircraft were deployed. Force was projected. Political will was found. Yet today, Nigeria is presented as needing to be “saved” from loosely organised, poorly educated bandits who have terrorised rural communities for years. Why does urgency appear when foreign interests are at stake, but evaporate when Nigerian citizens are the victims? Why can force be projected beyond borders to secure a neighbour’s stability, while Nigeria’s own killing fields remain largely untouched?

This contradiction cannot be explained away with talk of intelligence gaps or operational complexity. It points instead to misplaced priorities and political convenience. It suggests that external validation now carries more weight than internal safety, and that optics have overtaken outcomes in the calculus of security.

If the true objective were to save lives, the bombs would fall where Nigerians are dying the most. If the true objective were to dismantle terror networks, named leaders and known camps would be the focus. If the true objective were security, transparency would follow action—especially on the very day the strike occurs.

Instead, Nigerians are left with spectacle without clarity, force without accountability, and symbolism without justice.

So the difficult questions remain—unanswered and urgent:

Was this strike about ending terrorism, or about winning elections abroad?
Was it about protecting Nigerians, or about pleasing foreign allies and external saviours?
Was it a joint decision reflecting Nigerian priorities, or an externally driven script Nigeria merely endorsed?
And most importantly: when will Nigerian lives matter enough to define Nigeria’s security priorities?

Bombing symbols while ignoring killing fields is not counterterrorism.
It is political theatre—performed at great cost to truth, sovereignty, and the people who continue to die unseen.
Abuja Network News
Mohammed Bello Doka
For inquiries: [email protected]

26/12/2025

PRESS RELEASE

SUCCESSFUL PRECISION STRIKES ON FOREIGN ISIS ELEMENTS APPROVED BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU

The Federal Government of Nigeria, in close coordination with the Government of the United States of America, has successfully conducted precision strike operations against two major Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist enclaves located within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area, Sokoto State.

Intelligence confirmed that these locations were being used as assembly and staging grounds by foreign ISIS elements infiltrating Nigeria from the Sahel region, in collaboration with local affiliates, to plan and execute large-scale terrorist attacks within Nigerian territory.

The precision strike operations were executed between 00:12 hours and 01:30 hours on Friday, 26 December, 2025, following explicit approval by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

The operation was carried out under established command and control structures, with the full involvement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and under the supervision of the Honourable Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Chief of Defence Staff.

The strikes were launched from maritime platforms domiciled in the Gulf of Guinea, after extensive intelligence gathering, operational planning, and reconnaissance.

A total of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial platforms, successfully neutralising the targeted ISIS elements attempting to pe*****te Nigeria from the Sahel corridor.

During the course of the operation, debris from expended munitions fell in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State, near the premises of a hotel. No civilian casualties were recorded in either location, and relevant authorities promptly secured the affected areas.

The Federal Government of Nigeria reiterates its unwavering resolve to confront, degrade, and eliminate terrorist threats, particularly those posed by transnational extremist networks seeking to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty and security.

Nigeria remains fully aligned with its strategic partners and Friends of Nigeria in executing coordinated actions aimed at ensuring lasting peace, border security, and regional stability.

The Federal Government assures all Nigerians that it remains firmly in control of the national security architecture and is fully committed to the protection of lives and property.

Citizens are urged to remain calm and vigilant as decisive actions continue against all terrorist groups threatening the nation.

Mohammed Idris, fnipr

Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation.

December 26, 2025

26/12/2025

FROM POTUS

Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries! I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.

DONALD J. TRUMP
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

25/12/2025

DSS SHOULD INVESTIGATE DACHOMO'S CLAIMS

By Mahmud Jega

Claims at the weekend by Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations [COCIN] for Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, that his children were being denied admission into tertiary institutions because of his “blunt stance on the killing of Christians in Plateau State and other parts of Nigeria” should be immediately investigated by the Department of State Services because it is capable of heightening tension in the country, further poisoning inter-communal relations and also feeding the misguided foreign attacks on this country.

Dachomo said on Friday that his children, “who are qualified for university admission, have repeatedly been denied opportunities, particularly by institutions in northern Nigeria.” He said this is due to his public advocacy against what he described as the systematic killing of Christians by bandits and terrorists. He said his surname has become a major obstacle during the admission process. “Once they see the name ‘Dachomo’, the application is set aside or quietly dropped,” he said. He claimed that this occurred on more than three occasions, and that applications submitted by his children to different institutions were rejected without clear explanations. “The pattern has repeated itself, mostly in northern institutions. This is not a mere coincidence. My children are being targeted because of my name and my stance in exposing Christian genocide,” he said.

This allegation deserves a prompt and thorough investigation by DSS and Nigeria Police. Dachomo should supply his children’s WAEC and JAMB results for JAMB to establish that they were indeed qualified for university admission. He should show proof that they applied to several institutions for admissions within a short period of a few months [implausible as that sounds], and he should name the “many” institutions in the North that rejected them without basis.

Unless he proves these damning allegations to DSS and the police, he should be charged to court for making false allegations capable of damaging national security in order to hoodwink right-wing evangelical American societies to offer scholarships to his children and to arrange a visa for him to relocate abroad in order “to escape religious persecution in Nigeria.”

DSS must get to the root of this very dangerous claim by Rev. Dachomo, lest other desperadoes try the same ignoble tactic for selfish ends.

24/12/2025

SHEIKH GUMI FILES CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST FACEBOOK USERS OVER DEATH THREATS AND DEFAMATION

Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has officially dragged two individuals before the Chief Magistrate Court of Kaduna State, signaling a stern warning to social media users who use their platforms to spread falsehoods and incite violence.

The case, with suit number KMD/685/25, was filed on December 24, 2025, following a series of controversial Facebook posts that the Complainant alleges have put his life and reputation at grave risk.

According to the court documents, the defendants - identified as George Udom and - Bello Isiaka - allegedly published a statement on December 23, 2025, which they attributed to Sheikh Gumi. The post contained a chilling threat directed at the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa:

"If the Minister of Defence Christopher Musa don't stop his military offensive against bandits, his entire family in Zango Katab in Southern Kaduna will be eliminated"

Sheikh Gumi, through his legal team led by Suleiman Danlami Lere, Esq., categorically denied ever making such a statement. He asserts that the defendants used his name and picture to frame him as a sponsor of terrorism and a threat to national security.

Legal Consequences: Why You Should Be Careful

The application for a criminal summons cites several heavy-hitting sections of the Penal Code Law 2017 of Kaduna State. If convicted, the defendants face serious legal penalties:

A Message to Social Media Users

The Complainant emphasizes that as an Islamic scholar known for preaching peace, such "wicked" publications portray him as a "troublemaker" and make him a target for retaliation by security agencies or aggrieved parties.

The legal team for Sheikh Gumi issued a clear warning:

"The era of hiding behind a smartphone to destroy the reputation of others is over. This case serves as a notice to all who intend to post defamatory or false content: the law will find you, and the prison gates are open for those who choose character assassination over truth.

Salisu Hassan Webmaster
08038892030
24/12/2025

21/12/2025

BREAKING.....

The remaining 130 schoolchildren abducted by terrorists at St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, on November 21, have now been released. They are expected to arrive in Minna on Monday and rejoin their parents for the Christmas celebration.

One hundred were released earlier by the terrorists, taking the total of freed students to 230.

The freedom of the schoolchildren followed a military-intelligence driven operation.

16/12/2025

THE RESUMPTION OF ENFORCEMENT OF THE POLICE UNLAWFUL TINTED GLASS PERMIT POLICY IS A GRAVE AFFRONT TO THE MAJESTY OF THE COURT AND A SUBVERSION OF THE RULE OF LAW

A press release dated 15th December 2025, issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, announcing the reactivation of the enforcement of the suspended tinted glass permit policy with effect from 2nd January 2026, has once again confirmed the sad reality that the Nigeria Police Force, despite being the foremost law enforcement agency in Nigeria, continues to exhibit a troubling disregard for the rule of law and the due process it is constitutionally mandated to uphold. The press release not only amounts to executive recklessness but also portrays the Nigeria Police Force and its leadership as lacking in respect for the court, the rule of law, and due process of law.

A recap of the events leading up to this moment will provide context for our position. In April 2025, the Inspector General of Police purportedly introduced a policy mandating that citizens annually obtain motor vehicle tinted glass permits through an online platform (possap.gov.ng), with enforcement initially scheduled to begin June 1, 2025, and later postponed to October 2. Reports of harassment, extortion, and civil rights violations, particularly against young people, became widespread.

On September 2, 2025, the Nigerian Bar Association, through its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), instituted an action before the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025 between Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association v. Inspector General of Police & Anor, challenging the legality of the Tinted Glass Permit Policy. The suit questioned, among other things, the lack of constitutional or statutory authority vested in the Nigeria Police Force to levy fees or impose financial obligations on citizens under the guise of enforcing the policy. In challenging the legality and constitutionality of the policy because the NBA contends that the policy is unconstitutional, obnoxious, illegal, extortionate, and a threat to citizens’ rights and economic well-being, the NBA thus contends in the suit that:

a. The Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act of 1991, under which the policy is premised, is a military-era decree that no longer meets the democratic thresholds of justification under Section 45 and other relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution;

b. The National Assembly does not have the legislative competence to enact the law; therefore, the same cannot rightly be deemed a law properly made by the National Assembly.

c. The enforcement of the unlawful policy will initiate disorder and extortion, given the Nigeria Police’s long and sordid history of extortion, bribery, harassment, intimidation, and extra-judicial killings.

d. The policy is a brazen revenue-generating drive by the Nigeria Police Force, which by law is not a revenue-generating organisation. This is particularly worrisome as the fees are paid into the account of a private company.

e. The imposed levy for obtaining and renewal of the permit adds to Nigeria’s ever-increasing layers of taxation, thereby portraying Nigeria as a difficult place to do business. The levy imposed financial burden and hardship on Nigerians struggling with economic hardship.

f. The permit policy undermines Nigeria’s tax reforms, which will come into effect in January 2026, in that it will add to the multiplicity of taxes and taxing agencies in Nigeria, as well as the high corporate tax burden on businesses.

g. Nigeria imports cars from abroad, and modern vehicles come with factory-fitted tinted glasses, yet the Police discountenance this in the drive to generate revenue for themselves and a few individuals.

h. The payment proceeds into a private bank account (PARKWAY PROJECTS, Account No: 4001017918) instead of the Treasury Single Account raises serious concerns of transparency and corruption.

i. The policy brazenly nullifies already issued permits, and the purported requirement for renewal of the permits has no legal basis.

The court processes were duly served on the Defendants, including the Inspector General of Police, who briefed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Ayotunde Ogunleye, SAN, to represent them in the suit. Meanwhile, on 3rd October 2025, the Federal High Court, Warri Division, issued an order directing parties to maintain the status quo in Suit No: FHC/WR/CS/103/2025 between John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector General of Police, thereby restraining the Police from enforcing the policy pending the determination of a Motion for Interlocutory Injunction.

Following this order and the public outrage that trailed the attempted continuation of enforcement in clear disobedience to the court, the Inspector General of Police convened a meeting involving members of the Police Management Team, including the IGP, Deputy Inspectors General of Police, AIG Legal, their counsel Chief Ayotunde Ogunleye, SAN, and representatives of the NBA, including myself, Abdul Mohammed, SAN, Olukunle Edun, SAN, Paul Daudu, SAN, and Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, among others.

The NBA held a high-level engagement with the Inspector General of Police, where it was agreed that the enforcement of the policy will be immediately suspended to await the outcome of the matters in court and that the Police will direct its officers to cease and desist from further enforcement of the policy. The IGP subsequently suspended enforcement of the policy pending court pronouncement, as well ordered that police would cease the enforcement of the policy.

Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025 came up for hearing on Friday, 12th December 2025, before Hon. Justice M. S. Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja. During proceedings, Chief Ayotunde Ogunleye, SAN, informed the Court of the agreement reached between the NBA and the IGP suspending enforcement of the policy. On the strength of that representation, which the Court accepted as a solemn assurance, the Motion for Interlocutory Injunction was struck out.

It is therefore deeply disturbing that barely one working day after the Court relied on the undertaking of the Defendants’ counsel, a contradictory statement emerged from the Nigeria Police Force announcing a reactivation of enforcement. This volte-face represents a reckless overreach, a contemptuous disregard for the authority of the Court, and a serious assault on institutional integrity. It portrays the Nigerian Police Force as having scant regard for the rule of law and as a body insistent on imposing financial hardship on Nigerians for the financial gains of private business owners/interests.

The NBA notes that Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1821/2025 has been fully heard and judgment reserved. The Inspector General of Police has a constitutional obligation to respect the judicial process and refrain from any action capable of pre-empting or undermining the Court’s decision.

Accordingly, the Nigerian Bar Association calls on the Inspector General of Police to immediately withdraw the statement issued by CSP Benjamin Hundeyin and halt all attempts to reactivate enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy pending the final determination of all related court actions.

Furthermore, in defence of the rights of Nigerians, the NBA hereby directs all NBA Branches and the NBA Human Rights Committee to immediately intervene and provide legal representation to any Nigerian who is harassed, arrested, whose movement is impeded, whose vehicle is impounded, or who is prosecuted by the Police on account of the alleged violation of this unlawful tinted glass permit policy. The NBA will not allow citizens to be subjected to intimidation or abuse under a policy currently before the courts.

Should the Inspector General of Police fail or refuse to heed this lawful admonition, the Nigerian Bar Association will commence committal proceedings against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, until they purge themselves of contempt. Appropriate professional proceedings will also be initiated against any counsel found to have misled the Court.

The statement made in open court by Chief Ayotunde Ogunleye, SAN, constituted a judicial undertaking binding on the Defendants. Any contrary executive action amounts to overreaching the Court and undermines the rule of law, as firmly settled by the Supreme Court in Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986) 1 NWLR (Pt. 18) 621.

The Nigerian Bar Association sincerely hopes that the Nigeria Police Force will retrace its steps, respect the authority of the courts, and align its conduct with constitutional democracy and the rule of law. We also call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force to order, as the planned resumption of the policy will not only amount to a slap on the face of the court but also impose unjustified financial hardship on them.

MAZI AFAM OSIGWE, SAN
PRESIDENT