Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has accused some Nigerian pilots of operating under the influence of Indian hemp and not properly monitored by regulatory agencies.
Naijaonpoint reports that the former Governor of Abia State made this known during Wednesday’s Senate plenary, accusing relevant aviation authorities of negligence.
Kalu claimed that most pilots are very careless and unfit to fly, stressing that he had witnessed their inadequacy on many occasions.
He further alleged that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and other agencies have failed to conduct proper checks on pilots, including on-the-spot drug tests and health assessments.
Kalu urged the aviation authorities to take urgent steps to ensure stricter monitoring of pilots.
He said, “On many occasions I have stopped to fly because of inadequacy of pilots preparation, some of the pilots are not prepared. Some of them use Indian hemp.
“Yes, it’s true. Some of them are smoking Indian hemp and some of them are not properly audited by the authorities. I am telling you what I know because the NCAA and other authorities are not looking after this pilot and checking them on drugs, on the spot assessment. They’re not doing it. It is dangerous.
“And you see them walking into the airplane. Nobody check their blood pressure. Nobody checked anything, nothing. Most of these pilots are so careless. I have witnessed it and I have seen it. I don’t think it’s normal.
“Those agencies must come back home to look after this pilot and what do you call them?…because some of them take this India hemp like cigarette. If you go close to them, you will smell it. So NCAA must come back to their duty.”
© 2025 Naijaonpoint, a division of NOP Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]