Nigeria’s aviation industry has been thrown into controversy following conflicting reports over an Air Peace incident at Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had stated that a co-pilot and cabin crew member tested positive for alcohol and cannabis after their aircraft veered off the runway during landing. However, the crew members have denied the claims, calling the toxicology results false and damaging.
NSIB Findings Raise Eyebrows
In its preliminary report, NSIB revealed that the Air Peace aircraft landed far beyond the recommended zone and eventually stopped 209 metres into the clearway. The bureau reported that toxicological tests conducted at Rivers State Hospital showed alcohol in the system of the co-pilot and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the psychoactive element in cannabis—in a cabin crew member.
Crew Members Respond
Co-pilot David Bernard refuted the findings, questioning the credibility of the tests. He argued that standard aviation practice requires real-time breathalyser results, not delayed reports.
“I don’t drink or smoke. You can’t just jeopardise somebody’s image, telling me I take alcohol. The tests were done at a non-aviation recognised hospital. It doesn’t make sense at all,” he said.
Cabin crew member Maduneme Victory also dismissed the results as a calculated attempt to tarnish the airline’s image. She explained that a reconfirmatory test at Aero Space Clinic, an aviation-accredited facility, returned negative for marijuana.
Air Peace, NCAA, and Public Trust
Air Peace disclosed that Bernard had been cleared by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and had resumed active duty. The airline reiterated its strict “no alcohol, no drugs” policy and criticized NSIB for failing to formally communicate the alleged findings.
Meanwhile, passengers expressed fears over aviation safety, with some admitting they now prefer road travel until the controversy is resolved.
An industry expert, retired Group Captain John Ojikutu, faulted the NCAA for lax regulatory enforcement, citing the bureau’s failure to address over 150 pending safety recommendations in the past.
NSIB Defends Its Position
Director-General of NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh, stated that the agency does not conduct medical tests itself but relies on certified hospitals. He noted that the results from Rivers State Hospital were official and valid.
As investigations continue, stakeholders argue that the dispute underscores a lack of coordination between key aviation regulators in Nigeria.
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