As the campaign to address growing insecurity gathers momentum across the country, Nigerians have called on security agencies to check the abuse of tinted windscreens by unauthorized vehicle owners.
Corrspondents Omonigho Edaah and Ifeanyi Onyejeke went round town to seek the views of residents in warri and its environs on the issue brought back this report.
In Nigeria, and indeed in many parts of the world, it is common to see cars with darkened windows, which prevent the sunlight from entering, and limit what an outsider sees of the interior of the car. Vehicle users sometimes prefer to have the windows and windscreens of their cars and other vehicles so shaded for a number of reasons. Tinted glass make the driving experience pleasurable to these drivers.
The abuse of tinted windscreens in the country have continued to generate security concerns as criminal elements hide under the dark screen to carry out nefarious activities.
According to DCP Frank Mba, Force Spokeman of the Nigeria Police Force majority of crimes relating to terrorism, suicide bombing, kidnapping, gun-running, human trafficking, armed robbery and other related offences are committed with the use of vehicles with tinted glasses.
- Regulation 66(2) of the National Road Traffic Regulations (1997) provides that all glasses fitted to a vehicle shall be clear and transparent to enable persons outside the vehicle see whoever is inside the vehicle and the glasses shall in no way be tinted except as may be approved by the Inspector-General of Police for security reasons”.
A certified medical condition can also be sufficient reason to be given a permit provided a medical certificate from a qualified and certified medical practitioner is obtained.
Very important Persons including top government functionaries are also accorded the privilege of riding in vehicles with tinted windscreens for safety and security reasons.
What is however prevalent today in Nigeria is the indiscriminate issuance of this permit to undeserving persons by the Police thereby compounding the security crises in the country.
Some residents in Warri and its environs who spoke on the abuse of tinted vehicle windows said it has become easy for criminals to kidnap their victims and drive through security checkpoints and major streets without being detected.
They suggested that Police Hierarchy should review the issuance processes to weed out the underserving elements who have continued to abuse the privilege.
They also called on vehicle owners not to transfer the tint permit of a vehicle when it is sold.
The noted that what is obtainable is that The new owner will need to apply for a fresh permit to or take off and replace the tinted glass before such vehicles can be used because applications are evaluated on an owner/vehicle basis.
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