The management of Nigeria’s dominant domestic carrier, Air Peace has reacted to a preliminary report by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) which indicates that Air Peace flight crew that was involved a runway accident on July 13, 2025 had tested positive for alcohol and cannabis.
According to the NSIB preliminary report issued by the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Oladiji, initial toxicology investigations has revealed that the crew of the flight may have compromised. The incident took place July 13, 2025 and involved a Boeing 737-524 aircraft, with registration no, 5N-BQQ, operated by Air Peace, at the Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Omagwa, Port Harcourt.
Mrs Oladiji stated that:
“Initial toxicological tests conducted on the flight crew revealed positive results for certain substances, including indicators of alcohol consumption. A cabin crew member also tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis.”
“the aircraft, operating as a scheduled domestic flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt with 103 persons on board, landed long on Runway 21 after an unstabilised final approach. The aircraft touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold and came to a final stop 209 metres into the clearway. All passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported. These results are being reviewed under the human performance and safety management components of the investigation.
“The NSIB has issued immediate safety recommendations for Air Peace Limited to strengthen crew resource management (CRM) training, particularly in handling unstabilised approaches and go-around decisions, and to reinforce internal procedures for crew fitness-for-duty monitoring before flight dispatch.
“The full preliminary report, including detailed findings, is available for download on the NSIB website. The report represents early findings and is subject to further analysis. The final report will present detailed conclusions and additional recommendations to enhance aviation safety in Nigeria.”
However, reacting to the report, Air Peace denied seeing the report, but admitted that the captain of the aircraft had long been grounded for not complying to safety and airline protocols, including ignoring his Flight Officer’s advise for a “go-around” when it was obvious that the aircraft may not have been properly aligned for safe landing.
The airline, reiterated that it maintains “very strict alcohol use policy that is stricter than the 8 hours before the flight as provided in the regulations. Drug use is a NO-NO!”
The full statement reads:
Air Peace’s Response to The Media Stories On The “NSIB Preliminary Report”
Our attention has been drawn to media stories on a purported preliminary report by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) currently circulating online and in the media regarding the incident involving one of our aircraft at Port Harcourt on July 13, 2025.
To date, we have never received any official communications from the NSIB on such findings over a month after the incident and after the testing of the crew for alcohol which took place in less than an hour of the incident!
As a responsible airline, we place utmost priority on safety, transparency, and compliance, and it is important to set the record straight.
Air Peace conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on our crew. We have a very strict alcohol use policy that is stricter than the 8 hours before the flight as provided in the regulations. Drug use is a NO-NO!
Following the incident, we took immediate and decisive action:
The captain of the affected flight was immediately grounded and relieved from further flight duties to date for failure to adhere to Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles and for disregarding standard go-around procedures as advised by his co-pilot but not for testing positive to breathalyser test as the result was not communicated to us by NSIB to date.
Contrary to reports in the media, the First Officer (Co-pilot), who demonstrated professionalism in calling for a go-around to his captain, has been reinstated into active flying duties, with full approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The NCAA cleared him. If he was involved in drug or alcohol use, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority would not have cleared him to resume flight duties.
However, if the sacked captain tested positive to the breathalyser test, then we must increase the frequency of our alcohol and drug tests on our crew.
Again, the importance of Enhanced Crew Resource Management Training can not be over emphasized.
We will intensify strict Fitness-for-Duty checks and Stronger Internal Monitoring to prevent any breach of our zero-tolerance safety policy.
Air Peace has consistently maintained a strong safety record and strictly implements global best practices in all aspects of its operations, and we reassure our esteemed passengers and the Nigerian public that safety will never be compromised in Air Peace
SIGNED
Management
