The House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the FCT Police Command to immediately halt the indiscriminate harassment of motorists and release vehicles impounded solely for violations related to tinted glasses and covered number plates, provided there are no other infractions.
The House also called on the FCT Police Command to issue a public notice granting a grace period of not less than 90 days, during which vehicle owners can take necessary steps to comply with the regulations concerning tinted glasses and number plates.
This is as the House mandated its Committee on Police Affairs to engage with the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to develop clear guidelines for the enforcement of such directives in the future and ensure that adequate public awareness and reasonable timelines are established prior to implementation.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep Muktar Tolani Shagaya at the plenary.
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Shagaya, in his motion, noted the recent directive by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command enforcing a ban on vehicles with tinted glasses and covered number plates, as part of efforts to curb rising criminal activities such as kidnapping.
He said while the intent of the directive was to enhance security within the FCT, the abrupt enforcement without adequate public notice has led to widespread harassment of motorists and significant inconvenience to law-abiding citizens.
He expressed concern that the lack of sufficient time for vehicle owners to comply with the new regulations had resulted in numerous vehicles being impounded, causing undue hardship and potential economic losses to individuals and businesses.
Shagaya said while the House recognises the importance of security measures to protect citizens, such measures must be implemented in a manner that respects the rights of individuals and allows for reasonable compliance timelines.
The House, while adopting the motion directed the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to launch a comprehensive public enlightenment campaign, informing citizens about the specifics of the regulations and the procedures for obtaining necessary permits or making required modifications to their vehicles.
The motion was referred to the House Committee on Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance for compliance.
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