By Peter Omopo | September 12, 2025
Air Peace has dismissed media reports alleging that its pilots tested positive for drugs and alcohol following an incident involving one of its aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025.
The reports, based on a purported preliminary finding by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), claimed that a pilot and co-pilot had been indicted for substance use after the aircraft suffered a runway excursion.
In a statement issued on Friday via its official X handle, the airline said it had yet to receive any formal communication from the NSIB on the matter, despite the alleged tests being conducted shortly after the incident.
“We are yet to receive any official communication 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,” the airline stated.
Air Peace, which operates both domestic and regional routes, emphasised its strong record of safety and compliance, insisting that the reports were misleading.
The airline highlighted its stringent internal safety protocols, including routine alcohol and drug checks that it described as stricter than regulatory requirements.
Following the Port Harcourt incident, Air Peace said the flight captain was grounded for failing to follow Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles and for disregarding a go-around call from the co-pilot.
“The captain of the affected flight was relieved from further duty to date for procedural violations, not for testing positive to a breathalyser, as no such result was ever communicated to us by NSIB,” the statement clarified.
The carrier defended the co-pilot, stressing that he acted professionally during the incident and had since been cleared and reinstated by 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,” the airline said.
Air Peace also pledged to strengthen its internal oversight, with plans to expand fitness-for-duty checks, retraining programmes, and enhanced monitoring of crew members.
Reassuring passengers, the airline said:
“Air Peace has consistently maintained a strong safety record and strictly implements global best practices in all aspects of its operations. Safety will never be compromised.”
The July 13 incident occurred during landing, when the co-pilot reportedly initiated a go-around after the captain failed to comply with standard landing procedures.
