The Senate has cleared Nigeria’s flagship carrier, Air Peace, of allegations of negligence and drug use by its pilots over the July 13, 2024 runway overrun at the Port Harcourt International Airport, faulting the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) for issuing what it called an inconsistent and poorly coordinated report.

At a high-stakes investigative hearing in Abuja, the Senate Committee on Aviation, chaired by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North), said the NSIB’s handling of the incident risked damaging Nigeria’s international aviation reputation if left unaddressed.

“Most of the allegations were simply untrue,” Buhari said. “The report was disjointed and uncoordinated. You don’t accuse people wrongly in aviation — ICAO and other international agencies are watching us.”

The committee’s review found that the NSIB had initially alleged drug use among several Air Peace crew members before revising the claim to only two, a contradiction Buhari said underscored a lack of professional coordination.

He commended Air Peace and other domestic carriers for maintaining high safety standards and urged Nigerians to support indigenous operators rather than tarnish them with unverified claims.

“Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines are our own,” he said. “We must support, not destroy them. No life was lost, no aircraft was damaged — the plane was later flown back safely to Lagos.”

Buhari hinted that the Senate’s final report would recommend reforms to improve the quality, transparency and coordination of aviation investigations, while also proposing legislation to compel federal agencies and officials to patronise Nigerian airlines for official travel.

Appearing before the committee, Air Peace Chairman and CEO, Mr. Allen Onyema, said the NSIB report had unfairly portrayed the airline and its crew, calling it damaging to a carrier that “flies Nigeria’s flag proudly and safely.”

“The aircraft had no mechanical fault or damage; it flew back to Lagos the same day,” Onyema clarified. “The pilot, one of our most experienced, simply had a bad day. Unfortunately, the NSIB’s early report created unnecessary confusion.”

Onyema emphasised Air Peace’s strict self-regulatory culture, noting that the airline had previously grounded multiple aircraft over minor anomalies to ensure compliance and safety.

“We once grounded eight aircraft in a single day after detecting a documentation error,” he said. “We could have ignored it, but we reported ourselves to the NCAA. That’s how seriously we take safety.”

He cautioned that careless reporting and official missteps could expose Nigerian airlines to unfair global scrutiny.

“We must protect our aviation image,” Onyema urged. “Air Peace is one of the safest airlines in the world, not just in Nigeria.”

After a tense exchange, the committee entered a closed session to review confidential safety data. Buhari later reaffirmed that the Senate’s goal was not to indict any operator but to restore public confidence and strengthen the country’s aviation oversight framework.

“We are not here to destroy any business,” he said. “Our concern is safety and reputation. This incident shows why coordinated, fact-based reporting is vital to the integrity of Nigeria’s aviation industry.”

The committee’s final report, expected soon, will outline steps towards a more transparent and collaborative system for air accident investigations — balancing accountability with the need to protect confidence in Nigeria’s growing aviation sector.