On July 13, 2025, an Air Peace Boeing 737 with 103 people on board veered off Runway 21 at Port Harcourt International Airport after landing beyond the recommended touchdown zone. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) attributed the incident to an unstabilised final approach. All passengers and crew escaped unharmed, but the aftermath sparked controversy. Toxicological tests conducted by a Rivers State Hospital Management Board facility detected alcohol biomarkers in both pilots and cannabis compounds in a cabin crew member. Results were released ten days after the incident, raising concerns over testing delays. The lab used has not been certified for aviation toxicology under International Civil Aviation Organization standards. The co pilot denied consuming alcohol or drugs, calling the findings false, while the cabin crew member labelled the report defamatory. The NSIB stood by its findings, but the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) cleared the co pilot and reinstated him without explaining the discrepancy. More than a month after the event, Air Peace stated it had not received formal communication from the NSIB.
The ten-day delay in releasing toxicology results from a non-accredited lab undermines confidence in the findings, regardless of their conclusions. Festus Keyamo's public alignment with Air Peace while overseeing the NCAA creates a perception that regulatory independence may be compromised. When oversight appears entangled with promotion, Nigerians are left to wonder whether aviation safety decisions are based on procedure or preference. This incident exposes not just flaws in testing, but in the credibility of the entire accountability chain.
