The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law and the police have agreed to review the tinted permit policy.
Paul Ananaba, the chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, disclosed this in Ikeja on Thursday during an interactive session held as part of activities ahead of the NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference in Akwa Ibom.
Mr Ananaba, a senior advocate of Nigeria, said the review was to ensure it aligned with public interest and national security objectives.
The learnt silk said the decision followed weeks of engagement between both parties after concerns were raised by Nigerians over the harassment of motorists whose vehicle windows were not completely transparent.
He said the association intervened after several reports of indiscriminate arrests and impoundment of vehicles by police officers enforcing the tinted permit directive.
“Following our discussions with senior police officers, we agreed that enforcement of the tinted permit should be suspended while a joint review committee is constituted.
“SPIDEL’s engagement with the police is not confrontational but aimed at promoting accountability and justice in public administration. The committee, comprising representatives of NBA-SPIDEL and the Nigeria Police, will examine the legal and security implications of the policy and recommend new modalities for its regulation,” Mr Ananaba said.
He said the association filed a suit against the police over alleged discrimination against some citizens, adding that such legal actions were necessary to uphold the rule of law.
“SPIDEL is not a body of activists. Our focus is public interest and development,” he said.
The annual conference will take place from December 1 to 5.
Also speaking, Adaobi Egboka, director of the Africa Initiative at the Vance Centre, New York City Bar, said the Centre for International Justice had proposed a partnership with NBA-SPIDEL to strengthen public interest law and institutionalise pro bono legal services across Africa.
Ms Egboka made this known while presenting the centre’s proposal to collaborate with the NBA in promoting access to justice, ethical legal practice, and development.
She said the Vance Centre, a non-profit arm of the New York City Bar Association, works globally to advance justice through cross-border legal collaborations, pro bono services, and institutional integrity.
She explained that the centre operates through four major programme areas: environment, human rights and access to justice, institutional integrity, and public interest reporting, all aimed at strengthening democracy and the rule of law.
According to her, the proposed partnership will help the NBA develop a structured pro bono framework, create a database of participating law firms, and establish standards for measuring legal aid contributions.
Ms Egboka also called for collaboration in establishing a “Pro Bono Declaration for Africa”, similar to the Pro Bono Declaration of the Americas, which committed law firms to dedicate specific hours annually to free legal services for the underprivileged.
“Such an initiative will promote accountability, enhance diversity within the legal profession, and improve access to justice for vulnerable groups.
“The Vance Centre has successfully launched a Pro Bono Institute in Kenya in partnership with local universities and law firms, serving as a model for possible replication in Nigeria through collaboration with the NBA-SPIDEL. We urge the NBA to support the centre’s vision of building a stronger, data-driven, and institutionalised pro bono culture in Africa,” Ms Egboka said.
(NAN)