The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has debunked claims by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North, that some Nigerian pilots smoke Indian hemp before flying aircraft.
Kalu made the allegation during Wednesday’s Senate plenary, asserting that some pilots allegedly get “high” before flights — a situation he blamed on drug use and weak regulatory oversight for certain runway incidents and operational lapses.
However, in a statement released on Thursday, the Director-General of NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo, dismissed the senator’s claim as baseless, misleading, and unfounded, insisting that all licensed pilots in Nigeria undergo rigorous medical, professional, and safety evaluations before being cleared to operate flights.
“No pilot is permitted to operate a Nigerian-registered aircraft without holding both a valid pilot licence and a current medical certificate,” the NCAA stated, citing the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) Part 8.4.1.4.
The authority explained that all holders of Commercial Pilot Licences and Airline Transport Pilot Licences are required to obtain a Class 1 Medical Certificate, issued only after comprehensive aero-medical evaluations conducted by NCAA-authorised examiners and verified by in-house medical assessors.
According to the statement, the medical assessments include cardiovascular, neurological, psychological, metabolic, respiratory, and visual tests, along with screening for psychoactive substances and mental or behavioural disorders that could compromise flight safety.
The NCAA also reiterated that Nigerian aviation regulations strictly prohibit any crew member from flying within eight hours of consuming alcohol or while under the influence of any psychoactive substance.
“In accordance with this regulation, the NCAA carries out on-the-spot alcohol and drug testing when there is reasonable suspicion of intoxication,” Najomo said.
He further noted that the regulatory body conducts random, unannounced substance tests on flight crew, with results admissible as legal evidence, underscoring its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.