A routine landing turned into a safety scare in July when a Boeing 737 operated by Nigerian airline Air Peace veered off the runway at Port Harcourt International Airport. Thankfully, all 103 passengers on board escaped unhurt — but post-incident toxicology reports have raised serious concerns.

According to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), both the pilot and co-pilot tested positive for Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG), a marker for recent alcohol consumption. Additionally, a cabin crew member tested positive for THC, the active component in cannabis.

Following the results, Air Peace terminated the 64-year-old pilot, citing a breach of safety protocols. The 28-year-old co-pilot, however, was cleared by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) after a clean bill of health and has since returned to duty.

In a statement, Air Peace maintained it has not received official toxicology reports from NSIB more than a month after the incident. “We are yet to receive any official communication… despite the tests being conducted less than an hour after the event,” the airline said.

The pilot reportedly had over 18,000 flight hours, while the co-pilot had logged nearly 1,200 hours. NSIB’s investigation is ongoing but has already called for improved training and stricter internal safety checks across the aviation sector.

While Nigeria has seen no major air crashes in recent years, incidents like runway overshoots and tire bursts persist. Aviation stakeholders continue to urge for better technology and safety enforcement, especially as authorities roll out new initiatives like a national flight data centre.