The Senate has absolved Nigeria’s leading airline, Air Peace, of any wrongdoing in the July 13 runway overrun incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Senate has absolved Nigeria’s leading airline, Air Peace, of any wrongdoing in the July 13 runway overrun incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
It also declared that allegations of drug and alcohol use by its pilots were based on “inconsistent and uncoordinated” findings by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
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The development followed a high-profile investigative hearing by the Senate Committee on Aviation, amid growing concerns that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB)’s preliminary report — which initially alleged that several Air Peace crew members tested positive for alcohol and cannabis, before later narrowing the claim to two.
After reviewing the preliminary findings of the NSIB, the Senate Committee on Aviation found “serious inconsistencies and uncoordinated findings” in the report.
Committee chair Abdulfatai Buhari said that while the aircraft was safely towed and no lives were lost, the NSIB’s shifting allegations—from broad claims of drug use to two individuals only—risk damaging Nigeria’s aviation image before global regulators. He warned that the discrepancies in the NSIB report could undermine confidence in Nigeria’s air safety rating if not urgently addressed. “You can see that, unfortunately, most of those allegations are not true. The report was disjointed and not coordinated. You don’t accuse people wrongly, especially in aviation, where ICAO and other international laboratories are monitoring us closely,” Buhari said.
Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema defended his airline’s safety record, noting the absence of mechanical faults and emphasising his company’s internal safety culture. He shared how the NSIB’s early report and subsequent public speculation unfairly cast his airline in a negative light.
The Senate announced it will recommend reforms to ensure more transparent, coordinated investigation processes—aimed at safeguarding passengers, supporting local carriers, and protecting Nigeria’s aviation reputation internationally.
