Chukwu David 
The Senate, on Thursday, cleared Air Peace of allegations of negligence and drug use by its pilots in the July 13, 2024, runway overrun incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The exoneration followed a one-day investigative hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Aviation. Addressing journalists after the session at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, the Committee Chairman, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, said a review of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) report revealed inconsistencies and uncoordinated findings.
Buhari warned that such flawed reporting could damage Nigeria’s aviation reputation before international regulators if left uncorrected.
The investigative hearing, attended by key stakeholders including Air Peace Chairman and CEO, Mr. Allen Onyema, and representatives of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), focused on strengthening aviation safety and public confidence following the incident.
Buhari, who represents Oyo North Senatorial District, said the NSIB’s preliminary findings were “riddled with contradictions” — initially alleging drug use among several crew members before revising the claim to only two.
“You can see that most of those allegations are not true,” Buhari stated. “The report was disjointed and not coordinated. You don’t accuse people wrongly, especially in aviation, where ICAO and other international laboratories are monitoring us closely.”
He commended Air Peace and other indigenous airlines for maintaining internal safety protocols and random testing of pilots, adding that Nigeria should “encourage rather than destroy” its local carriers.
“Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines are our own. We need to support them, not damage their reputation with unverified claims,” he said. “The most important thing is that no lives were lost, and the aircraft was not damaged. It was towed and later flown safely back to Lagos.”
Buhari disclosed that a forthcoming Senate report would recommend steps to improve aviation investigations and coordination in Nigeria. He also revealed that the Senate might soon consider a bill mandating all federal agencies and officials to patronize Nigerian airlines for official travel to strengthen the domestic aviation sector.
Earlier, Air Peace Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema, defended the airline’s safety record, describing the NSIB’s handling of the matter as unfair and damaging.
“I initially did not want to honour this invitation,” Onyema said. “But I came because the Senate members are our customers and have every right to be concerned about safety. However, I must correct some impressions created by the NSIB’s report.”
Onyema explained that the aircraft involved had no mechanical fault or damage, and that the incident resulted from human error.
“The aircraft had no single damage and flew back to Lagos the same day,” he said. “The pilot is one of the most experienced in our fleet — nearly 40 years of flying. He simply had a bad day. Unfortunately, the early report created confusion that made it appear as if the pilots were intoxicated.”
He added that Air Peace enforces strict safety culture, even grounding multiple aircraft if any anomaly is detected.
“I once grounded eight aircraft in a day after discovering a maintenance planner’s mistake. We reported it ourselves to the NCAA. That’s how seriously we take safety,” he said.
Onyema cautioned that misleading narratives could harm Nigeria’s aviation image and subject local airlines to undue scrutiny abroad.
“What we say here is monitored globally. We must not destroy public trust in Nigerian airlines,” he warned. “Air Peace is one of the safest airlines in the world.”
The Committee later entered a closed-door session to review confidential reports.
Before adjourning, Senator Buhari assured that the Senate’s goal was to strengthen aviation safety, not to indict any operator.
“We are not here to destroy any business,” he said. “Our concern is the safety of Nigerian travelers and the reputation of our aviation industry. Once the final report is ready, it will be presented before the full Senate.”
