Political interference in air accident probe raises questions

Recently, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) came to the light when the Senate Committee on Aviation called out the agency alleging flaws in its report on the July 13, 2025 Air Peace runway overrun incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport. While exonerating the airline of any wrongdoing, the Senate further accused the agency […]

Recently, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) came to the light when the Senate Committee on Aviation called out the agency alleging flaws in its report on the July 13, 2025 Air Peace runway overrun incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

While exonerating the airline of any wrongdoing, the Senate further accused the agency of inconsistency in its report, saying it is not good for the credibility of the industry.

Daily Trust reports that the brickbat was due to the recent preliminary report of the July 13 incident released by the NSIB, the aviation agency responsible for investigation of accidents and incidents in the aviation industry.

Like the apex regulatory authority, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) which is an independent and autonomous body, the NSIB also enjoys its autonomy as an accident investigator. In carrying out its duty as stipulated in Part 1 (4) and (5) of the NSIB Establishment Act 2022, the agency first releases a preliminary report on an accident followed by the final report.

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Background

The bone of contention was the preliminary report released on the July 13 Air Peace incident in Port Harcourt. The accident investigators in the report tested the crew positive for the substances after the aircraft they flew was involved in the runway incursion.

The NSIB said, “The aircraft, operating as a scheduled domestic flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt with 103 persons on board, landed long on Runway 21 after an unstabilised final approach. The aircraft touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold and came to a final stop 209 metres into the clearway

“All passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported.”

According to the report, the domestic flight, which took off from Lagos, experienced an unstabilised final approach before landing long on Runway 21.

The NSIB revealed that the aircraft touched down 2,264 metres from the runway threshold, well beyond the recommended touchdown zone, and eventually came to a stop at 209 metres into the clearway.

While all on board disembarked safely, the incident raised immediate safety concerns.

The preliminary reports say toxicological test results conducted on the flight crew turned out positive. The Tests indicated the presence of alcohol in the system of the crew, while another crew member also tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active compound found in cannabis, colloquially referred to as “India hemp.”

The NSIB noted that these toxicology results are being assessed within the scope of human performance and safety management, both critical factors in aviation incident investigations.

However, Air Peace faulted the report even as he said the report was not communicated officially over a month after the incident and after the testing of the crew for alcohol which took place in less than an hour of the incident.

It said, “As a responsible airline, we place utmost priority on safety, transparency, and compliance, and it is important to set the record straight.

“Air Peace conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on our crew. We have a very strict alcohol use policy that is stricter than the 8 hours before the flight as provided in the regulations. Drug use is a NO-NO.”

Following this, the Senate Committee conducted an investigative hearing and in its report said the allegations of negligence and drug use by Air Peace pilots were “baseless and poorly substantiated”.

“This kind of inconsistency can damage the credibility of our aviation safety system. The report should have been carefully verified before being released,” the committee said.

However, the interference of the committee is raising issues over what analysts called “political interference” in critical safety related issues. While the Senate’s role in overseeing the executive arm of the government is not in doubt, it is restricted to matters of policy and not a matter as serious as accident investigation.

Daily Trust reports that the NSIB formerly Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) which was formerly in charge of investigation of accidents and incidents in air transportation now covers all modes of transportation.

From air returns to crash-landing, tyre bursts and actual accidents in the air transportation sub-sector, the AIB was charged with providing accurate reports detailing the causal factors, the contributory factors and appropriate recommendations.

Over the years, the various reports of accidents and incidents released by the bureau have helped in improving safety of the aviation industry.

Its task is to find out why an accident or incident occurred and what must be done to ensure such does not reoccur.

In carrying out its investigation, the manufacturers of the aircraft and its components, the regulatory agency which is the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in the case of Nigeria, the airline involved and the service provider – the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) or the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) as the case maybe are often involved in the investigation.

At no time is the Senate or any other agency of government apart from those listed as part of the stakeholders in accident investigation.

That’s why some aviation analysts said it considers the Senate’s interference as not only strange but an attack on the independence of the investigative agency.

Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) which provides a manual on accident and incident investigation guarantees the independence of the NSIB.

Part of the provision under independence read: “In accordance with Doc 9756, Part I — Organization and Planning, an accident investigation authority (agency, commission, board or other body) must be strictly objective and totally impartial and must also be perceived to be so. It must also be able to conduct investigations in an independent manner that can withstand political or other interference or pressure.

“…The sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident shall be the prevention of accidents and incidents. It is not the purpose of this activity to apportion blame or liability.”

5. b) In accordance with Annex 13, Chapter 5, 5.4: “The accident investigation authority shall have independence in the conduct of the investigation and have unrestricted authority over its conduct ….”

5. c) In accordance with ICAO Annex 13, Chapter 5, 5.4.1: “Any investigation conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Annex shall be separate from any judicial or administrative proceedings to apportion blame or liability.”

This is where the independence of the NSIB is guaranteed and it is only the report from NSIB that is recognised by the ICAO, aircraft manufacturers and other manufacturers of components in an aircraft.

A source with knowledge of the working of the investigation of NSIB says the preliminary report represents initial findings and not the final report which often takes years.

The preliminary Report provides details of initial facts, discussions, and findings surrounding an occurrence; it includes information gathered from the ATC (Air Traffic Control) transcript, witness statements, evidence harvesting, and a preliminary inspection of the aircraft. This is upon which the final report would be based.

Experts say conducting an investigative hearing over a strictly technical matter is an overreach by the Senate.

“It’s not proper at all. It’s not right for the Senate to dabble into a Professional and Safety issue like that,” said a retired captain who spoke on the issue under strict condition of anonymity.

“The senate went into an area it has neither the authority nor a scintilla of competence. The senate needs to be thoroughly educated to stay away, otherwise the senate will be made a laughing stock,” Aviation analyst, Mr. Chris Aligbe said.

Former Commandant of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Group Capt. John Ojikutu, rtd, warned that legislative interference poses risk to the credibility of the agency.

He said, “There is no reason for calling a public hearing on an incident of a runway incursion. This is primarily a responsibility for the regulation oversight and enforcement agency.

“What the committee needs for incidents are aviation safety consultants to review NSIB findings, not public hearings.”

On his part, Olumide Ohunayo, the General Secretary of Aviation Roundtable and Safety Initiative, said while the Senate is merely exercising its power of oversight, its report is not binding on any global aviation stakeholder, especially ICAO. According to him, the Senate should not be entirely condemned for conducting the public hearing.

“Those bodies (ICAO and others) will rather deal with the reports of the NSIB that is given the responsibility than take the senate report, except there are other revelations that come out that show there was a compromise from the NSIB.

“Anything that will improve safety should not be too much. What we want is a safe and efficient industry and I think that is what they have called for, not that the report of NSIB is not reliable, rather, they are asking everyone to look at the report and comment on it,” he said.