“I Don’t Drink or Smoke” — Air Peace Co-Pilot Rejects NSIB Report After Port Harcourt Incident

Air Peace crew members involved in the July 13 runway incident at Port Harcourt International Airport have denied claims by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) that toxicology results showed they tested positive for alcohol and cannabis.

The NSIB, in a preliminary report released on Friday, stated that toxicological screening carried out at Rivers State Hospital revealed traces of alcohol in the systems of the captain and first officer, while a cabin crew member tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis. According to the bureau, these findings are being reviewed under the human performance and safety management components of the investigation.

The incident occurred when the Air Peace jet reportedly veered off the runway during landing, touching down 2,264 metres from the threshold and coming to a halt 209 metres into the clearway.

Reacting to the report in an interview with Arise Television, co-pilot David Bernard and cabin crew member Maduneme Victory dismissed the findings, insisting they neither drink alcohol nor use marijuana. Bernard accused the NSIB of conducting the tests at an unregistered facility, calling the results “false and damaging.” He argued that aviation standards require the use of a breathalyser for alcohol checks and questioned why their results were only released ten days after samples were taken.

“I don’t drink and secondly, if you are trying to do an alcohol and blood test, it should be done with a breathalyser right there,” Bernard said. “You can’t just take our samples, disappear with them, and return ten days later with results from a non-aviation recognised hospital.”

Victory also rejected the bureau’s claims, saying the delay in releasing results raised doubts about the credibility of the process. “Normally, when this kind of test is done, results come within a few hours. But we were not given anything that day. Ten days later, I was called by the NCAA to come and pick up a letter,” she recounted.

Both crew members argued that Air Peace’s internal random testing policy already discourages staff from alcohol or drug use, as violations would put their jobs at risk. They described the NSIB’s findings as an attempt to tarnish their reputations and that of the airline.