The Management of Air Peace has responded to the preliminary report released by the the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on the serious runway incident involving the airline’s Boeing 737-524 aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
According to a preliminary report by the NSIB in its ongoing investigation into the incident of July 13, 2025, tests conducted on Air Peace flight crew indicated alcohol and psychoactive drug consumption.
The report read in part: “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.
“These results are being reviewed under the human performance and safety management components of the investigation”.
Air Peace in its rebuttal said the airline has a very strict alcohol and drug use policy that is stricter than the eight hours before flight provided in the regulations.
While stating that it places utmost priority on safety, transparency, and compliance and conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on crew members, Air Peace noted that it never received any official communications from NSIB on such findings after the incident and after the testing of the crew for alcohol which took place in less than an hour of the incident.
The statement further said: “Following the incident, we took immediate and decisive action: The captain of the affected flight was dismissed 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”.
The airline pointed out the importance of Enhanced Crew Resource Management Training, stating that it will intensify strict Fitness-for-Duty checks and Stronger Internal Monitoring to prevent any breach of its zero-tolerance safety policy.
Air Peace highlighted that it has consistently maintained a strong safety record and strictly implements global best practices in all aspects of its operations.
It reassured its passengers and the Nigerian public that their safety will never be compromised .
