Air Peace has suspended the captain of a Boeing 737 aircraft that skidded off the runway at Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Port Harcourt, on July 13, 2025.
The airline said the pilot was relieved of flight duty for failing to observe Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles and for ignoring his co-pilot’s advice to execute a go-around.
In a statement issued on Friday, Air Peace clarified that the suspension was not linked to any positive breathalyser test, adding that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) had yet to officially communicate such results to the airline.
The carrier said the co-pilot, who called for a go-around during the landing, had been reinstated after clearance from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
“The NCAA cleared him, adding that if he were involved in drug or alcohol use, the aviation regulatory body would not have cleared him to resume flight duties,” the airline said.
Air Peace said it would step up alcohol and drug testing for its crew members and intensify fitness-for-duty checks.
“Air Peace has consistently maintained a strong safety record and strictly implements global best practices in all aspects of its operations. We reassure our esteemed passengers and the Nigerian public that safety will never be compromised,” the statement added.
On Thursday, the NSIB released a preliminary report on the incident, blaming the pilots’ conduct for the runway excursion.
The bureau said both pilots of the flight tested positive for alcohol after the incident, while a cabin crew member tested positive for cannabis.