Police nab six suspected kidnappers, rescue three victims in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended six suspected kidnappers and rescued three victims who were abducted in the Toro Local Government Area of the state.

According to a press statement signed and issued by Ahmed Wakil, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, the suspects were tracked down to the outskirts of the village, where a coordinated operation by combined security forces led to the successful and unharmed rescue of the victims.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Abubakar Usman, Adamu Alo, Abubakar Aliyu, Umar Habu, Abubakar Mamman Abubakar, and Shehu Sambo.

Wakil added that the three rescued victims have since been reunited with their families and are in good health.

The Command’s spokesperson further stated that the suspects will be handed over to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) in Bauchi for comprehensive profiling and will be formally charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. He added that Sani-Omolori Aliyu, the State Commissioner of Police, reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of all residents. He urges the community to remain alert and engaged, encouraging citizens to share vital information that will aid the police in maintaining law and order in the state.

He urged members of the community to remain vigilant and cooperative, calling on citizens to provide timely and useful information that could assist the police in sustaining peace and security across the state.

PTAD: Resolving pensioners’ issues

ADEREMI: Dear Omobola, my name is Aderemi. The reply of PTAD to my complaint which was published on the March 12, 2O25 was correct. Truly PTAD called me and asked me of my account details. My caller said that the account did not reflect my name. He also asked for some other information but I was unable to provide as my documents were not with me and I didn’t know them offhand. He promised to call the next day but he has not called back.

PTAD: Dear Mr, Aderami, kindly note that we placed several calls to you, but were unable to get through as your phone was not answered. You can reach us via 02094621700 for clarification and resolution. Thank you.

RUFIANA: Good day, I am Rufina. My complaint is about short payment of my pension arrears since two years ago

PTAD: Dear Mr. RUFIANA, please send your verification slip to our email [email protected] to enable us to investigate and respond further. Thank you.

ANONYMOUS: Good day, I have been complaining of deduction of N9000 from my pension allowance since September last year. Kindly use your office to rescue me from this situation. l have written several times for correction to no avail why.

PTAD: Dear PTAD PENSIONER, please send your verification slip to our email [email protected] to enable us investigate and respond further. However, note that PTAD obtained a directive for the re-implementation of the CPA based on grade level in line with the clarification from the NSIWC before implementing the new 20 per cent / 28 per cent increment as applicable. The CPA which was as a result of the minimum wage approval in April 2019 was implemented in May 2021 based on pay-band application with subsequent payment of 24 months arrears covering from April 2019 to April 2021. It is, therefore, instructive to mention that arrears reconciliation arising from the re-implementation of the CPA based on grade level is set aside pending further directive.

The clarification from the NSIWC which revised the implementation of the CPA to Grade level was taken into cognisance and accordingly implemented on the payroll before the application of the new pension increment of 20-28 percent as applicable which will take effect from September 2024.

Further to the above, the Executive Secretary gave directive to pay the 20per cent/ 28 per cent pension increment arrears to ONLY the pensioners whose monthly pension have been correctly computed and implemented as per the August payroll.

In line with the directive of the Executive Secretary, the Department reviewed the August 2024 pension payroll to ascertain that only pensioners who are on their correctly computed monthly pension are paid the 20 – 28% pension increment arrears and thereafter identified and excluded the following categories of pensioners:

Pensioners on the payroll with inherited monthly pension and whose monthly pension entitlement is yet to be computed to date;

Pensioners on the payroll with inherited monthly pension but whose monthly pension entitlement have been computed but not yet implemented;

Pensioners on the payroll with monthly pension figure that appears to be higher than the maximum monthly pension for their Grade Level.

OJO: Dear Omobola, I am one a Heritage bank customer at Ado Ekiti. I am one of those who were not paid their pension since May. I sent a message to you with all my particulars. Please, I am waiting for your help. Ojo from Ado Ekiti.

PTAD: Dear Mr. Ojo we are not in receipt of your new bank statement from UBA as we discussed with you and your daughter on the phone. Thank you.

Bvndle moves to redefine customer loyalty beyond transaction

Bvndle Loyalty, a pioneering investee company of VFD Group has announced the inaugural Bvndle Rewards Festival taking place December 8 to 9 in Lagos.

Bad customer experiences lead directly to lost revenue, and just one negative interaction can result in losing a customer and their potential spending in the future.

According to research from the Qualtrics XM Institute, bad customer experience could cost organisations throughout the world about $3.7 trillion annually, an increase of approximately $600 billion (19 percent) compared to projections from year 2023.

The groundbreaking two-day experience is Africa’s premier stage for reimagining customer appreciation and brand loyalty, transforming it from a business metric into a living, breathing connection between people and the brands they love.

Ikechukwu Nwaguru, Managing Director, Bundle Loyalty Limited while speaking on the event said, ‘In an era where brand trust is harder to earn and even harder to keep, the Bvndle Rewards Festival offers something truly different. We’re creating a world-class experience that spotlights the people behind the numbers, the customers who keep showing up, the brands that consistently deliver, and the communities that turn everyday engagement into something meaningful.

‘This isn’t just an event; it’s a movement. It’s our way of saying, ‘we see you, and we celebrate your loyalty in full colour.’ He said the festival arrives at a defining moment for businesses everywhere, citing global studies warning that $3.7 trillion in sales could be lost by 2025 due to poor customer experience.

‘Yet, the opportunity for those who genuinely value their customers is just as vast: a 5 percent increase in retention can boost profits by 25 percent or more.’

The Bvndle Rewards Festival is designed as the answer to this challenge. The Festival is set to create a powerful ecosystem where loyalty is nurtured, rewarded, and celebrated as the most valuable currency of all.

Across two immersive days, the festival will blend innovation, storytelling, and culture to create something unforgettable. From digital showcases and lifestyle masterclasses to the Circle of Loyalty and Welcome Mirror experiences, every detail is designed to remind people that appreciation is a shared culture.

At its core, the festival celebrates the customers, creators, and communities that give brands their meaning. From powerhouse CEOs and marketing innovators to digital tastemakers and devoted customers, more than 10,000 guests, 70 speakers, and thought leaders from across business, technology, lifestyle, and culture will gather in Lagos to explore gamified experiences and vibrant live moments.

The Bvndle Rewards Festival will feature immersive Brand Activations, The Grand Finale Concert, Closing the Festival in Unforgettable Style and Customer Appreciation Awards.

Appeal Court fixes hearing for doctor’s conviction case

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has fixed March 10, 2026, for the hearing of an appeal filed by the Medical Director of Excel Medical Centre, Dr. Ferdinand Ejike Orji, challenging his conviction and one-year jail sentence by the Lagos State High Court.

The appellate court will also hear a cross appeal by the Lagos State Government seeking to set aside the portion of the judgment that discharged and acquitted Dr. Orji on Count 1 of the six-count amended charge.

The state is asking the court to convict and sentence him on that count as well.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, presided over by Justice Yargata Nimpar, adjourned the case to allow the respondent (the state government)to file its response to the motion by the appellant.

Other members of the panel are Justices Danlami Zama Senchi and Abdulazeez Muhammed Anka.

Counsel to the appellant, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), and counsel to the respondent, Dr. Babajide Martins, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for Lagos State, regularised their processes before the court.

Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos High Court, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, had on January 20, 2023, convicted Dr. Orji on four of the six counts filed against him and sentenced him to one year imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.

The offences stemmed from the doctor’s treatment of a 16-year-old boy, a promising basketball player who had returned to Nigeria for a holiday.

The boy suffered a leg fracture and was taken to Excel Medical Centre, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, where Dr. Orji, who is not an expert in the field applied a Plaster of Paris (POP) cast

The prosecution alleged that the doctor’s negligence led to complications that permanently damaged the boy’s leg and ended his dream of pursuing a basketball career in the United States.

Justice Akintoye found the doctor guilty on Counts 2, 3, 4 and 6 but discharged and acquitted him on Counts 1 and 5.

In her judgment, she held that the prosecution had proved the essential ingredients of the offences beyond a reasonable doubt and that Dr. Orji’s conduct fell far below the standard expected of a medical practitioner.

‘It is my opinion that the defendant committed a breach of duty as a medical practitioner when he wilfully refused to remove the POP cast on the patient’s left leg despite complaints of severe pain, which resulted in compartment syndrome,’ the judge stated.

The trial court found that the cast was applied without an X-ray, without the consent of the patient’s mother, and by unqualified personnel.

The judge noted that the patient was under Dr. Orji’s medical care and that his actions endangered the boy’s life.

Consequently, the court sentenced the doctor to one year imprisonment on each of the four counts, to run concurrently.

Dissatisfied with the decision, Dr. Orji filed a notice of appeal seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence.

He argued that the prosecution failed to prove criminal intent, a critical element of the alleged offences and that since the court found no intent in Count 1, the same reasoning should have applied to the other counts.

He urged the Court of Appeal to set aside his conviction on Counts 2, 3, 4 and 6 and quash the judgment delivered by the trial court.

The state, however, has urged the appellate court to dismiss the appeal, insisting that the evidence before the trial court proved the offences beyond a reasonable doubt.

Dr. Martins argued that the doctor’s conduct was negligent and reckless and fell short of the professional standard expected in such circumstances.

Tinubu’s controversial clemency

It’s almost certain that every presidential decision will draw controversy, but President Tinubu’s clemency to 175 prisoners, most of whom were convicted drug dealers, murderers and corrupt politicians, has sparked intense debate across the land and further called the quality of the president’s thought process into question. The controversy surrounds the types of crimes committed by those pardoned, with many questioning the wisdom of granting mercy to serious offenders. But there are also less controversial cases on the list. Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, sentenced to death over a treason charge in 1986, received a posthumous pardon from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Vatsa’s family had been pushing for this for a long time, and they would definitely be pleased with Tinubu’s action. I hope they will finally find closure. Many Nigerians did not believe that Vatsa had planned to topple Gen. Babangida in a coup, and so his execution with other officers in 1986 was a traumatic national event. I was serving my NYSC in Jalingo at the time, and I recall that the whole corps of members’ residence was thrown into shock when we heard the news over the radio that evening. The national mood was that Vatsa’s execution was a premeditated murder by the IBB regime.

But in his memoir published last February, Babangida stressed that there was indeed a plot and traced it to ”a continuous and recurrent peer jealousy on his (Vatsa’s) part towards me. Babangida showed no remorse in the book; rather, he insisted that he had bent over backwards to accommodate Vatsa’s ”excesses and boisterousness. He wrote, ‘He was envious of my career path and postings up to when I was chosen as a member of the Supreme Military Council under Gen. Murtala Muhammed.’ The whole section of the book reads like a childish concoction. I am pleased that Tinubu was able to extend a presidential pardon to Vatsa, for whatever it is worth.

But the most controversial and widely condemned part of the exercise is the pardon granted to four convicts, including former House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan and Maryam Sanda, a 37-year-old woman sentenced to death by hanging for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, son of former Peoples Democratic Party national chairman Haliru Bello. Lawan was jailed for accepting a $500,000 bribe from Femi Otedola, the Lagos businessman. He was initially sentenced to seven years in prison but had his sentence reduced to five years by the Court of Appeal, which was later affirmed by the Supreme Court. Lawan’s presidential pardon is now viewed as a serious affront to the war against corruption and a disincentive to the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies who fight a brutal war to bring corrupt criminals to justice. Maryam Sanda’s case is drawing widespread attacks and condemnation due to the high-profile nature of her husband’s family and the circumstances surrounding the crime. Her lawyers had filed an appeal challenging the conviction, but it was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in December 2020. She then appealed to the Supreme Court, and the decision was still pending by the time she was pardoned. The presidency said the pardon was based on her good conduct, remorse and family plea, citing the welfare of her two young children. Her husband’s family has, however, condemned the pardon as a mockery of justice. I think so too. The idea that the woman was pardoned because of her young children is laughable. Such a violent woman is not capable of raising children, and the children would never be proud of her for killing their daddy. In better societies, the children would have been handed over to either relatives of the husband or a foster family to bring them up, under the supervision of the state.

Other controversial pardons went to Mrs Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia, Barrister Hussaini Umar and Ayinla Saadu Alanamu. They were pardoned, according to the government, to enable them to integrate into society, having demonstrated sufficient remorse. Seventy individuals, including Nweke Francis Chibueze, serving a life sentence for dealing in cocaine, were pardoned, along with Dr Nwogu Peters, who had served 12 out of his 17-year sentence for fraud. The preponderance of persons convicted of drug-related crimes, including trafficking and smuggling, is quite bewildering, and many Nigerians are quick to link the pardon of so many convicted drug dealers to Tinubu’s brush with the FBI while he lived in Chicago in the 1970s and 1980s. Whether there’s a connection with the president’s background or not, I believe that these pardons undermine Nigeria’s anti-narcotics efforts and send a wrong signal to potential offenders.

Twenty-two individuals convicted of murder, manslaughter, or other violent crimes were also pardoned. Many Nigerians feel this shows a lack of regard for victims and their families. The inclusion of high-profile individuals convicted of corruption and financial crimes, including former lawmaker Hon. Farouk Lawan, in the list has fuelled speculations that the clemency was granted to those with connections or influence, rather than being based solely on merit or humanitarian grounds.

In all, many Nigerians have expressed outrage and disappointment on social media, questioning the president’s judgement and priorities. Civil society groups, such as the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, have condemned the pardons, citing concerns about the impact on justice and security, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the pardons, saying they undermine the rule of law and embolden criminality. No matter your political leaning or ethnic affiliation, Nigerians should rise up and condemn any activity that weakens our institutions and glorifies criminals.

Tinubu urges ECOWAS to declare resource theft international crime

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to designate resource theft – including illegal mining and the stealing of minerals – as an international crime.

The President warned that the practice poses a direct threat to the stability and security of the West African region.

Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (yesterday SGF), Senator George Akume, at the 2025 annual General Assembly of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) at the ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja, the President said the time had come for the regional bloc to galvanise international support against the trade in stolen minerals from West Africa.

‘I believe that the time has come for ECOWAS to designate resource theft (illegal mining and stealing of minerals in the region) as an international crime that threatens the stability of the region, and galvanizes the world against trade in stolen minerals from West Africa,’ he said.

The President noted that illicit financial flows and the plundering of mineral resources have become a growing menace, fueling insecurity and violent crimes across the sub-region.

‘Stealing of mineral resources is on the rise in the region, fuelling the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and other violent crimes such as kidnapping and banditry,’ he said.

President Tinubu warned that no single country could win the battle against illicit financial flows or resource theft alone, stressing that regional collaboration through NACIWA offers ECOWAS a viable platform to coordinate efforts against corruption and its offshoots.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to asset recovery as a key pillar of its anti-corruption strategy, noting that the country had introduced a new legal framework for asset recovery and management.

‘Under Nigeria’s anti-corruption strategy, we have prioritized the tracing and recovery of stolen assets. This vision has translated into the recovery of humongous sums by our anti-corruption agencies,’ the President said.

President Tinubu praised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), led by Mr. Ola Olukoyede, who also serves as the current President of NACIWA, for its ‘prolific record’ in recovering stolen assets.

He said the commission’s successes over the past two years should serve as a case study for member nations at the meeting.

The President further disclosed that his administration has repurposed part of the recovered proceeds of crime to fund social impact programmes.

‘Two legacy programmes of my administration, the Student Loan Scheme and the Consumer Credit Scheme, commenced operation with the injection of N100 billion in recovered proceeds of crime by the EFCC,’ he said.

The President explained that through the Student Loan Scheme, many indigent students now have access to tertiary education, while the Consumer Credit Scheme is helping working Nigerians acquire essential assets and ease financial pressures in the current economic climate.

Emphasising the need for unity, President Tinubu stated that defeating corruption and insecurity would greatly improve the quality of life in the region.

He urged NACIWA delegates to critically examine anti-money laundering frameworks, financial intelligence-sharing mechanisms, and accountability in the extractive sector to strengthen regional resilience.

‘We need a paradigm shift from rhetoric to deliberate measures to actualize the vision of ECOWAS’ founding fathers for collective prosperity and good governance,’ he said, expressing optimism that the 2025 General Assembly would produce a new framework for inclusive growth and shared progress in West Africa.

President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to ECOWAS and NACIWA, declaring: ‘We are stronger together than being apart.’

He formally declared the 2025 NACIWA annual general meeting (AGM) open.

Abuja Lawyer charged with forging SAN’s signature admits to ?30 million bail

An Abuja-based lawyer, Ibitade Bukola, along with her co-defendant Victor Giwa, facing charges of document forgery and impersonation of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Awa Kalu, has been granted bail for ?30 million by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Apo

During the bail hearing, counsel to the second defendant, Ogbu Aboje, urged the court to admit his client to bail pending trial. He argued that the defendant poses no flight risk and would be available to stand trial.

However, the prosecuting counsel, Erisco Asaph, opposed the application, citing Sections 37 and 115 of the Evidence Act. He argued that granting bail would not serve the interest of justice and urged the court to disregard the counter-affidavit filed by the defence.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ruled in favour of the bail application. The court granted the second defendant bail for ?30 million, with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be civil servants not below Grade Level 16, residing within Abuja, and must present verifiable addresses and valid means of identification. Additionally, the defendant was ordered to deposit her international passport with the court.

Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the court directed that the defendant remain in custody at the Suleja Correctional Facility.

The case was adjourned to October 30, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.

Lawmaker empowers constituents

The lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency 2 in Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Setonji David, has empowered more than 800 constituents with tools and grants.

The beneficiaries were given deep freezers, generators, sewing machines, vulcanising machines, hair styling tools, clippers and grinding machines.

The lawmaker said the empowerment was in fulfilment of the promises made during his campaign.

‘As legislators, our primary duties are summed up into representation, law-making and oversight, and we are often constrained by the boundaries of these roles,” he said.

David, who is also the Deputy Chief Whip, said the initiative was aimed at promoting self-reliance and supporting small businesses, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, said they were celebrating the promise made to the constituents through the empowerment programme.

He urged the beneficiaries to utilise the tools given to them.

BATN Foundation Celebrates UN World Food Day at 2025 Eko World Food Day Fair

Something BIG is coming to Lagos this World Food Day, and if you haven’t marked your calendar, it is about time you did so.

It’s the Eko World Food Day Fair.

Happening on Thursday, October 16th, 2025, the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) invites stakeholders and the general public to a remarkable day dedicated to empowering farmers and strengthening local food systems. The event aims to bring together farmers, consumers, development partners, and community stakeholders in a shared effort to promote food security, empower local producers, and celebrate the people who feed our communities.

The Fair, themed ‘Hand in Hand for Better Foods and Better Future’, is more than just an event; it’s a direct intervention to foster food security by making food affordable and empowering the backbone of Nigeria’s food system-our smallholder farmers.

By registering for and attending the fair, you directly contribute to sustainable agriculture and community impact by supporting local farmers and securing high-quality produce.

The fair provides a unique platform for smallholder farmers and agripreneurs to showcase their produce, connect directly with consumers, and secure fair market value for their goods. Beyond promoting local sourcing and sustainable agriculture, the event reinforces BATNF’s commitment to improving livelihoods and strengthening food systems through inclusive market opportunities.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, October 16th, 2025

Time: 10:00 AM

Venue: Ikeja Police College Field

Theme: Hand in Hand for Better Foods and Better Future

The fair will spotlight smallholder farmers’ access to markets, promote fair trade, and highlight sustainable solutions driving agricultural growth across Nigeria. Download the BATN Foundation on the iOS or Google Play Store today and register to make sure you don’t miss out on the incredible prices and other opportunities in celebrating community impact and sustainable agriculture

Egbetokun: Resurrecting IBB’s tinted-glass law

General Ibrahim Babangida was infamously notorious for formulating and forcing several unpopular decrees down the throat of Nigerians in his eight-year rule. To the ‘Evil Genius,’ who crowned his era of infamy with the annulment of the June 12 presidential elections, belongs the copyright of the equally infamous ‘Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Decree No. 6 of 1991.’

Ironically, in a civilian regime run by a Bola Ahmed Tinubu who fought Babangida to a standstill, IBB’s draconian law has been dug up by Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to pepper Nigerians. Nigerians still relive the military-era nightmare of obtaining and presenting a certificate or permit to drive with ‘tinted glasses.’ This time around, IGP Egbetokun is levying motorists N14,000 per vehicle to obtain the permit.

The plan has caused much uproar nationwide. Some have warned that with this impending policy, Egbetokun has overstepped his statutory mandate; moreover, he is reversing the country back to its dark, draconian history under the military.

To justify their imposition, police authorities hide behind the one finger of Section 3 of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act. This Act came to life under IBB as the ‘Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Decree No. 6 of 1991.’ This is a Military Decree! Babangida formulated the law at a time he held Nigeria by the jugular in that infamous season of anomie. Not every law is a good law, and authorities must have a reason for pushing this martial-inclined law under the carpet in the last 34 years! Now under President Tinubu, Egbetokun has resurrected Godzilla, the king of monsters!

Currently, amounts that vehicle owners pay on particulars have hit an all-time high. For example, Proof of Ownership certificates, erstwhile a one-off documentation, has become yearly renewable. How do you demand that ownership certificates must be renewed every year even when ownership remains unchanged? Recently, third-party insurance suddenly ballooned by 200 percent from N5,000 to N15,000? Driving licence fees, vehicle licence fees have all grown wings in the last two years. Don’t even mention the hackney permit where states and local governments bay for blood when freight vans and lorries pass through their territories. Imagine one truck, lorry or trailer needing one or more document from each of the 36 states and 774 local governments!

Coming from the Police Force of a country that does not manufacture a single vehicle, and rather imports all motor vehicles (and glasses), the enforcement of this law will be nothing but preposterous and overreaching. Nigeria that manufactures neither glasses nor vehicles will be funnelling scarce foreign exchange to nations that manufacture and sell plain cars and glasses to us.

Many have wondered if this will not distract the police of a country reeling from widespread insurgency and insecurity for which the Armed Forces have found no solution. Police actually say the measure will help them fight insecurity.

Fight insecurity indeed! Cars have boots. Boots hide things from visible eyes. Clearly, we don’t pay for car-boot permits? Are we not simply told to open the booths for the contents to be inspected? Shouldn’t the same obtain for tinted glasses? If in doubt about occupants or contents of a vehicle, can police not simply demand that, as in the case of the boot, the driver or passenger should wind down the door glass on approaching checking points?

Moreover, as currently framed, violation of the law fetches a fine of N2,000. Yet police want drivers to obtain the licence for N14,000! Can you see discordance and disconnect? Procuring the permit for such a huge sum means that the scheme will make the Force revenue-generating. No country’s police operate purely for revenue-generation. The police have no business in business. Nor can the Force formulate programmes to generate revenue for itself or the government. Its budget comes as a first-line charge, like those of the Army and other paramilitary agencies. Police work is essential service. The government takes care of ALL police’s capital and recurrent expenditures.

Moreover, where is the justice in this arrangement? Conferring the Force with this draconian power makes the police complainant, prosecutor and judge rolled into one. An executive arm of government suddenly commandeers the powers of the judiciary as well as the executive. Wow! That puts colossal power in the hand of one institution. The writers of our constitution deliberately guarded against such a monstrosity through couching the Grund nom in the Doctrine of Separation of Powers.

What actually is tinted glass?

By definition, tinted glass in a car refers to ‘window glass that is darkened either at the factory by adding metal oxides to the glass during production, or by applying a thin film to the surface of existing glass after the car is built. This treatment provides benefits like increased privacy, UV protection, and heat reduction..’

Vehicles made in Europe, America, Asia and anywhere else all avoid plain glasses. Colouring of vehicle glasses has become the universal standard to counter the harmful effect of ultraviolet (UV) rays. Yet Nigerian police want citizens to go plain glasses.

Will enforcement distinguish between colour, shaded and tinted glasses? Do colour windows equal tinted glasses? IGP Egbetokun couldn’t care less. So far, police publicity campaign behind the implementation of this law has ignored the tone, language and spirit of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act. You wonder if the NPF has a Legal Department! Police PROs interpret it to say you must get a permit ‘if you’re driving a car with tinted, shaded, coloured, or darkened glass.’

But that has no backing in this quoted law. The actual law says no such thing. Read the exact wording:

The Federal Military Government hereby decrees as follows:

1. (1) Except with the permission of the appropriate authority designated for the purposes of this Decree and for such good cause as may be determined from time to time by the appropriate authority, no person shall cause any glass fitted on a motor vehicle to be-

(a) tinted; or

(b) shaded; or

(c) coloured lightly; or thickly

(d) darkened; or

(e) reated in any other way,

so that the persons or objects in the motor vehicle are rendered obscure or invisible.

Clearly, it says, ‘no person shall cause any glass fitted on a motor vehicle to be tinted’ etc. The word CAUSE remains the operative denominator. Have you CAUSED your vehicle glasses to be tinted? Obviously, what the law frowns at is the vehicle owner going the EXTRA MILE, or making EXTRA EFFORT, to shade, colour, darken or tint the glass of his vehicle. If the shade or colouring is FOLLOW-COME, you have no business getting a permit. But who will tell this to the Nigerian policeman hunting for off-plain glasses whenever the regulation takes effect?

The official explanation of that law couches it as: ‘An Act to prohibit the tinting or treating in any other way any glass fitted in a motor vehicle so as to render persons in the vehicle obscure or invisible.’ Note the word PROHIBIT. This clearly exempts intrinsically or originally FOLLOW-COME shaded and colour glasses. The law aims to prevent or to licence the tinting of vehicles by owners who ‘deliberately’ choose to. It connotes that such action of tinting was voluntary, by choice and a superfluous action for luxurious purposes.

So why does IGP Egbetokun want to make it a blanket law? Why will he be misapplying a law reserved not for general motorists but the few owners who choose to paste tint-stickers on their glasses?