A co-pilot and an Air Peace pilot have been charged by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) with drinking and hard drug use.
This was revealed in a preliminary report that was signed on Friday by Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
It is known that when an Air Peace aircraft they flew was involved in a runway incursion at the Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025, NSIB inspectors tested the crew for the chemicals and found them to be positive.
Recall that on Sunday morning, June 13th, an Air Peace aircraft had a runway excursion upon its arrival at Port Harcourt International Airport. The plane went off the runway without getting hurt.
A significant incident involving pilots operating an Air Peace Boeing 737 aircraft with 103 passengers was revealed in the NSIB investigation.
The aircraft, carrying 103 passengers on a scheduled domestic trip from Lagos to Port Harcourt, made an unsteady final approach and landed long on Runway 21, according to the NSIB. A final halt was made 209 meters into the clearway after the plane touched down 2,264 meters from the runway threshold.
“No injuries were reported, and all passengers and crew disembarked safely.”
Following its departure from Lagos, the domestic flight made an unstable final approach before touching down on Runway 21.
The plane touched down 2,264 meters from the runway threshold, which is significantly outside the advised touchdown zone, and finally stopped 209 meters inside the clearway, according to the NSIB.
Despite the fact that everyone on board departed safely, the incident immediately sparked safety concerns.
According to preliminary data gathered by The PUNCH, the flight crew’s toxicological test findings were positive. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis, often known as “India hemp,” was detected in the system of another crew member, and the tests revealed the presence of alcohol in it.
These toxicology data are being evaluated in the context of safety management and human performance, two crucial elements in aviation mishap investigations, the agency stated.
Following the incident, the NSIB reported that it had given the airline timely safety advice.
“First toxicological testing on the flight crew showed positive results for some substances, including indicators of alcohol consumption,” the statement adds. For THC, the euphoric ingredient in cannabis, a member of the cabin staff also tested positive. These findings are being examined as part of the investigation’s safety management and human performance components.
“The NSIB has immediately recommended that Air Peace Limited improve crew resource management training, specifically in handling unstable approaches and go-around decisions, and strengthen internal protocols for crew fitness-for-duty monitoring prior to flight dispatch.”
“On July 13, 2025, a toxicological test was performed on the flight crew at the medical laboratory section of Rivers State Hospital Management in Port Harcourt, and they tested positive for a few chemicals. Ethyl glucuronide tests after the incident showed that the captain and first officer had recently consumed alcohol, according to toxicological screening.
