Alcohol/Drug: Why We Cleared Air Peace Co-Pilot Of Wrongdoing — NCAA

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that arsenic a regulatory body, it followed owed process based connected the disposable facts and interior investigations to wide a co-pilot of Air Peace, who, among different unit members, were indicted of utilizing hard drugs and alcohol, starring to a runway excursion incidental astatine the Port Harcourt International Airport successful Rivers State.

Recall that an Air Peace craft had a runway excursion connected a Sunday, June 13, 2025, aft landing astatine the Port Harcourt International Airport. The craft veered disconnected the runway without immoderate damage.

The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), which statutorily probed the incident, revealed that the craft touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold, good beyond the recommended touchdown zone, and yet came to a halt astatine 209 metres into the clearway.

NSIB, successful its report, had indicted the unit members of the craft acrophobic pursuing a aesculapian trial of their bloodstreams. However, Tte hose has since faulted the indictment.

Speaking during an X abstraction connected Saturday, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection astatine the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, emphasised that the regulatory assemblage followed owed process based connected the disposable facts and interior investigations to wide the Air Peace co-pilot

He explained that some the NCAA interior probe and the NSIB study did not indict the co-pilot, the crushed for his clearance and instrumentality to work.

He besides said the durability of the NCAA rules is occasionally tested by real-life incidents, saying this was wherefore the rules are subjected to reviews consistently.

“I learnt yesterday that the NCAA was being blamed for giving clearance to the archetypal officer. But based connected the NCAA interior findings and the NSIB preliminary report, the co-pilot was not recovered culpable.

“In fact, helium advised the skipper to spell around, which the skipper did not heed. Given that, we judge it is unjust to support idiosyncratic grounded for a twelvemonth portion an probe is ongoing if determination is nary grounds of wrongdoing,” Achimugu said.

Speaking connected airlines’ interior measures, the NCAA spokesperson said, “Airlines are allowed to person interior policies and mechanisms connected definite issues, and they are required to taxable compliance reports to the authority. However, arsenic is the lawsuit globally, nary substance however dependable regulations whitethorn look connected paper, their existent spot is lone revealed erstwhile tested by real-life incidents. That is wherefore regulations stay taxable to reappraisal and updates.”

The director, however, pointed retired that the substance would beryllium addressed by the Director General of the NCAA, Capt Chris Najomo, who is already conducting investigations connected the matter.

He further clarified that the NCAA followed internationally recognised procedures for post-incident assessments, including the usage of NCAA-approved investigating centres.

He besides noted that immoderate questions remained unanswered, peculiarly connected the broadside of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, which is the statutory assemblage liable for conducting mishap and incidental investigations successful the country.

He said, “I person reached retired to the NSIB and spoken to their team, but I’m inactive waiting for broad feedback. I flagged definite inconsistencies that I judge necessitate urgent clarification. My DG has conscionable returned to the state and is expected to talk to the substance formally tonight.”

Meanwhile, a subordinate of the X abstraction meeting, Bamidele Badmos, expressed interest implicit however the hose has managed the nationalist sermon surrounding the incident.

“My interest close present is the representation of the airline. Air Peace operates planetary routes, and if Nigerians proceed to dainty issues similar this with levity, our Bilateral Air Services Agreements could beryllium jeopardised.”

He stressed that regulatory standards indispensable beryllium applied uniformly crossed the board, careless of the individuals oregon airlines involved.

“This manufacture operates connected precise precocious standards. It cannot beryllium tally similar a emblematic business. Once an infraction occurs, caution indispensable beryllium exercised immediately. The rules are clear; they are not optional. If idiosyncratic is recovered wanting, it’s not a clip to commencement defending oregon raising unnecessary alarms,” Badmos added.

He besides cautioned hose unit against making informal media appearances oregon nationalist comments that could worsen the situation.

He said, “It’s highly informal for unit members to travel connected aerial to support the hose oregon situation regulatory authorities. Issues similar this should beryllium near to authoritative channels and professionals.”