Two Air Peace staff have denied claims by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau that they tested positive for alcohol and marijuana following the July 13 runway incursion at Port Harcourt International Airport.
Co-pilot David Bernard and cabin crew member Maduneme Victory, speaking in separate interviews on Friday, accused the bureau of releasing what they described as “false and damaging” test results aimed at tarnishing their reputations and the image of the airline.
Bernard insisted he neither drinks nor smokes, questioning the credibility of the tests carried out at the Rivers State Hospital. “I don’t drink. If you are doing an alcohol and blood test, you have to use a breathalyser right there. Instead, they took our samples on the 13th and only came back with results on the 23rd. That makes no sense. They took it to a non-aviation recognised hospital. I don’t drink or smoke,” he said.
He stressed that Air Peace routinely conducts random checks on its crew members, making it impossible for any professional to risk failing a test. “You are not supposed to take alcohol eight hours before duty. Nobody wants to lose their career over that,” he added.
Victory, who was also named in the report, said the delay in releasing the test results was suspicious. “Normally, results come out within hours. But in this case, I was only handed a letter weeks later, and it said I tested positive for marijuana. I went for a reconfirmatory test at a licensed aerospace clinic, and everything came out negative,” she said.
She accused NSIB of running a smear campaign. “If marijuana was truly in my system, why wasn’t my airline informed immediately to ground me? Instead, they waited almost two months before bringing this out. This is defamation,” she said, adding that she would consider legal action if the report was not withdrawn.
The NSIB, however, defended its preliminary findings. Its Director-General, Captain Alex Badeh, explained that the tests were official and carried out by the Rivers State Hospital. “They got tested, urine and blood, and the report came out the next day. We published the findings as part of our investigation. This is not our first report, so claims of a smear campaign are unfounded,” he said.
Air Peace also pushed back, stating that Bernard had since been cleared by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and returned to active duty. The airline said it had not received official communication from NSIB about the toxicology findings, adding that safety remained its top priority.
“Air Peace conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on crew and has a strict policy. Drug use is a no-no. The captain of the affected flight remains grounded, but not because of alcohol; rather for failing to follow standard procedures,” the airline stated.
The incident has rattled passengers and experts, raising questions about regulatory lapses in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
A passenger, Maria, said the controversy had caused panic. “I was supposed to fly to Abuja, but my friend insisted we go by road because of this news. The authorities must get to the root of this,” she said.
Industry expert, Group Captain John Ojikutu (Rtd), blamed weak enforcement by the NCAA. “If truly the pilot was drunk, why was it not detected before he flew? The NCAA has ignored too many safety recommendations. They must sit up,” he warned.
As the row continues, questions remain over the conflicting positions of the NSIB, NCAA, and Air Peace, leaving many Nigerians unsettled about aviation safety standards.
