The Borno State Police Command has warned that criminals are increasingly using tinted vehicles to commit crimes across the country.
The Command’s spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, raised the alarm in a statement on Saturday, saying data from the police show that armed robbers, kidnappers, drug dealers, and terrorists often hide behind dark glass to escape identification and carry out illegal activities.
“Through our Crime Frequency Data, evidence shows that tinted vehicles are regularly used to conceal or aid serious crimes. Armed robbers, kidnappers, drug traffickers, and terrorists have taken advantage of dark glass to hide their faces or illegal items,” Daso said.
He recalled the murder of a University of Maiduguri lecturer on April 2, 2024, as an example. According to him, CCTV footage showed the car the killers used, but investigators could not see their faces because the vehicle’s windows were heavily tinted, which slowed down the case.
Daso also mentioned another tragedy on September 26, 2025, when three children died of suffocation after they got locked inside a dark-tinted car. He said passersby could not see them in time to help.
He added that the Command’s findings revealed many other criminal cases involving tinted vehicles, from kidnappings to drug trafficking and robbery operations.
“Criminals take advantage of the anonymity that tinted glass gives them. Without proper control, the Police are at a disadvantage, and citizens are exposed to more danger,” he said.
Daso clarified that not all tinted cars will be banned. He said factory-fitted tinted glass, vehicles used by some government officials, and individuals with medical conditions such as photophobia will be exempted.
“Contrary to what people think, the Police are not imposing a blanket ban on tinted vehicles. There are legitimate exemptions,” he said.
He explained that owners of tinted vehicles would now have to register and obtain permits digitally.
“This process records the owner’s biometric data, NIN, and vehicle details to build a verifiable database. That way, when a tinted car is linked to a crime, we can easily trace the owner,” he explained.
Daso also assured that the new process will not be abused.
“The reality is simple: tinted vehicles without accountability threaten public safety. The Maiduguri case and several others show that unregulated tinted glass can cost lives,” he said.
He added that officers have been instructed to handle enforcement professionally while citizens can report misconduct through the Police Complaint Response Unit for immediate action.
Meanwhile, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the Police Force had not received any Federal High Court order stopping the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy.
