Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has raised alarm over alleged drug use among some pilots in Nigeria’s aviation industry, claiming that a number of them smoke Indian hemp.
Kalu made the startling allegation on Wednesday, October 15, while speaking in support of a motion on aviation safety during Senate plenary.
The debate followed a Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) report on the Air Peace runway incident at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The incident involved an Air Peace Boeing 737-500 flight (P47190) from Lagos to Port Harcourt, which skidded off the runway upon landing on June 22, 2025.
Leading the motion, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who chairs the Senate Committee on Aviation, said although no lives were lost, the event exposed “critical gaps in safety standards, infrastructure management, and operational compliance” in the sector.
Backing the motion, Kalu accused aviation regulators of negligence, saying some pilots operate recklessly without adequate supervision.
“Some of these pilots are careless and not properly supervised. Some of them smoke Indian hemp and are not properly audited by the authorities,” Kalu said.
“The agencies must take responsibility. The NCAA needs to wake up to its duty, and the runways themselves are not in good shape.”
The Senate thereafter urged the Federal Government to strengthen oversight of aviation operators and improve infrastructure to ensure passenger safety.
