By Correspondent, Lagos
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has indicted two Air Peace flight crew members for testing positive for alcohol and hard drugs following a runway excursion involving the airline’s Boeing 737 at Port Harcourt International Airport on 13 July 2025.
According to a preliminary report signed by the NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, toxicological screenings revealed that the captain and first officer of the flight had alcohol in their systems, while a cabin crew member tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
The incident occurred when the aircraft, carrying 103 passengers from Lagos, landed long on Runway 21 after what investigators described as an “unstabilised final approach”. The plane touched down more than 2,200 metres beyond the threshold and eventually stopped 209 metres into the clearway. Although all passengers and crew disembarked safely and no injuries were reported, the development has heightened concerns over flight safety and crew discipline.
The bureau said the findings are being examined within the context of “human performance and safety management” and has issued immediate safety recommendations to Air Peace. These include stricter crew fitness-for-duty monitoring, enhanced training on handling unstabilised approaches, and reinforcement of internal safety policies.
Air Peace Disputes Findings
In a swift response, Air Peace dismissed the NSIB’s report as “misleading”, insisting that it had yet to receive any official communication from the investigators more than a month after the incident.
The airline, in a statement released on its official X account, stressed that it operates a strict alcohol and drug policy that goes beyond regulatory requirements, describing the allegations as damaging to its reputation.
“The captain of the affected flight was grounded for failing to adhere to Crew Resource Management principles, not for testing positive for alcohol. To date, we have not been officially informed of such results,” the airline stated.
Air Peace added that its co-pilot had acted professionally during the flight and has since been reinstated to duty with clearance from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). “If he was involved in drug or alcohol use, the NCAA would not have cleared him to resume flight duties,” it said.
The airline emphasised its commitment to passenger safety, vowing to intensify crew retraining, increase the frequency of alcohol and drug testing, and strengthen internal monitoring procedures.
Industry Concerns
The July incident, though resulting in no casualties, has reignited debate about safety oversight and compliance in Nigeria’s aviation sector. Analysts warn that the NSIB’s findings, if proven accurate, raise serious questions about airline accountability, crew management, and regulatory enforcement.
With Air Peace maintaining that its safety record remains strong, the coming weeks will likely see heightened scrutiny on the bureau’s final report and the response of regulatory agencies, including the NCAA.
For now, passengers and industry stakeholders await clarity in a case that underscores both the fragility of public confidence and the critical importance of safety culture in Nigeria’s aviation industry.