Senate Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu dropped a bombshell during Wednesday's plenary, accusing some Nigerian pilots of smoking Indian hemp and operating aircraft while intoxicated, claiming he has personally aborted flights due to their apparent unpreparedness and slamming aviation authorities for failing to enforce rigorous drug testing and health checks.
The Abia North senator, a former airline owner and Abia State governor, made the explosive remarks while contributing to a motion on bolstering aviation safety, sponsored by Oyo North's Senator Buhari Abdulfatai.
The debate was triggered by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau's (NSIB) preliminary report on an August 2025 Air Peace runway excursion at Port Harcourt International Airport, which raised broader concerns over pilot training and regulatory lapses.
Kalu, drawing from his experience helming the now-defunct SLOK Airlines, painted a dire picture of the skies: "I’ve on many occasions stopped to fly because of the inadequacy of the pilots’ preparation. Some of the pilots are not prepared. Some of them use Indian hemp. Yes, it’s true. Some of them smoke Indian hemp."
Kalu didn't stop at the allegation, branding most Nigerian pilots "very careless" and unfit for duty, with regulatory bodies like the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) guilty of negligence.
"The authorities guiding these pilots, some of them are very lousy," he fumed, urging immediate on-the-spot drug tests, mandatory health assessments, and stricter monitoring to avert disasters.
Kebbi North Senator Yahaya Abdullahi swiftly moved to amend the motion, proposing that the Senate Committee on Aviation investigate Kalu's claims alongside other industry red flags, including recent near-misses and maintenance shortcuts.
The chamber unanimously adopted the prayer, tasking the committee, chaired by Senator Saliu Mustapha with a comprehensive report within weeks, potentially leading to legislative reforms or sanctions.
Abdullahi emphasized, "These are grave allegations that demand verification, no stone unturned."
The NCAA, in a terse evening statement, rejected the accusations as "baseless and unverified," reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy on substance abuse under the Civil Aviation Regulations 2015, which mandates random drug screenings and grounds offenders.
"All pilots undergo rigorous medical evaluations, and any violation invites severe penalties, including license revocation," NCAA spokesperson Sam Adurogboye insisted, while announcing plans for intensified audits at major carriers like Air Peace and Arik Air.
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