Air Peace Crew Reject NSIB Report on Alcohol and Drug Test After Port Harcourt Incident

The controversy surrounding the Air Peace runway incident at Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025, has deepened as a co-pilot, David Bernard and a cabin crew member, Maduneme Victory, rejected a preliminary report by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau which alleged that they tested positive for alcohol and cannabis. The Air Peace aircraft veered off the runway after touching down 2,264 metres from the threshold, far beyond the recommended touchdown zone, before coming to a halt 209 metres into the clearway. All passengers disembarked safely but the incident immediately raised safety concerns.

In its findings, the NSIB said toxicology tests conducted at Rivers State Hospital Management revealed alcohol in the pilots’ systems and tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, in the system of one cabin crew member. However, Bernard dismissed the report, insisting he neither drinks nor smokes and questioning why the tests were not conducted through an aviation-approved breathalyser. He argued that taking samples on July 13 but presenting results ten days later was not credible. Victory also described the report as damaging to her career, explaining that she later underwent a reconfirmatory test at an aviation-certified Aerospace Clinic which came back negative. She claimed the development was a smear campaign against the airline and threatened legal action if the NSIB did not withdraw the report.

The Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh, denied the allegations of bias, stating that the toxicology screenings were official and part of a normal safety process. Air Peace defended its crew, pointing out that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority had cleared Bernard to continue flying and stressing that the airline enforces strict drug and alcohol policies. The airline added that while the captain was grounded for procedural errors, it was not related to toxicology results, which had not been formally communicated to the airline.

The conflicting positions of the NSIB and NCAA have triggered public concern over aviation safety in Nigeria. Frequent flyers and analysts have called for stronger regulation and synergy between agencies to restore confidence. Industry expert Group Captain John Ojikutu (Rtd.) said repeated safety lapses show regulatory weakness and warned that ignoring recommendations could put passengers at risk.