The Nigerian Senate has cleared the air peace of allegations of negligence and pilot drug use linked to the July 13, 2025 runway overrun at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The decision comes after a one-day investigative hearing held by the Senate Committee on Aviation, chaired by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who said the committee found contradictions in the report presented by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
According to Buhari, the NSIB report first accused several Air Peace crew members of drug use but later reduced the number to two. He said such inconsistencies could harm Nigeria’s aviation reputation before international regulators.
> “Most of those allegations are not true. The report was disjointed and uncoordinated. You don’t accuse people wrongly, especially in aviation where ICAO and other global bodies are monitoring us closely,” the senator said.
The session, attended by industry stakeholders including Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema and officials from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), focused on improving aviation safety oversight and restoring public confidence.
Buhari praised Air Peace and other domestic airlines for maintaining strong safety protocols such as internal checks and random drug testing for pilots and crew.
> “Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines are our own. We must support them, not destroy their reputation with unverified claims. The important thing is that no life was lost, and the aircraft was not damaged—it was towed and flown safely back to Lagos,” he said.
The Senate, according to Buhari, will issue a formal report recommending better coordination and accuracy in aviation investigations. He stressed that the probe is not a witch-hunt but part of efforts to strengthen safety in Nigeria’s aviation industry.
Lawmakers also revealed plans for a new bill requiring federal agencies to patronize Nigerian airlines for official travel—an initiative aimed at supporting local carriers.
In his remarks, Air Peace Chairman Allen Onyema described the NSIB’s handling of the incident as unfair and damaging to a proudly Nigerian airline that operates with strict adherence to international safety standards.
> “I initially did not want to honour this invitation, but I came because the Senate members are our customers and have the right to ask questions. However, I must correct the wrong impressions created by the NSIB’s early report,” Onyema said.
He clarified that the aircraft involved in the incident had no mechanical fault or damage and that the runway excursion resulted purely from human error.
> “The aircraft had no single damage. It flew back to Lagos the same day. The pilot has nearly 40 years of experience—he just had a bad day. Unfortunately, the early report made it look like the aircraft was faulty or the pilots were intoxicated,” Onyema explained.
He added that Air Peace maintains some of the strictest safety standards in the industry, recalling how he once grounded eight aircraft in one day after a maintenance error was discovered.
> “We could have hidden it, but we reported it ourselves to the NCAA. That’s how seriously we take safety,” he said.
Onyema warned against spreading misleading reports that could harm Nigeria’s aviation image globally.
> “What we say here is monitored worldwide. We must not damage the reputation of the NSIB or our local airlines. Air Peace is one of the safest airlines globally,” he said.
The hearing later went into a closed-door session to review confidential safety data and reports.
