The Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), which represents youth groups from across the country’s six geopolitical zones, has supported Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s recent call for a mandatory drug test for commercial airline pilots in Nigeria.
In a press statement signed by its president-general, Comrade Goodluck Ibem, along with other executive members, CONYL described Senator Kalu’s comments on the Senate floor as “bold, necessary and rooted in lived industry experience,” adding that aviation safety is far too critical to be left to chance.
The press release was jointly signed by CONYL executives including Comrade Adeyemo Adewale (Publicity Secretary), Comrade Junaid Abubakar (Secretary General), and Comrade Iniobong Sampson (PRO).
Senator Kalu, himself a key player in the aviation sector and an airline operator, had earlier raised alarm over the growing concern of pilots operating flights while under the influence of hard drugs. Citing a specific incident where a pilot overshot the runway and later tested positive for drug use, the senator warned of the potentially disastrous consequences of lax oversight in the sector.
Reacting to his intervention, CONYL stated, “We commend Senator Kalu for bringing this issue to light. This is not mere speculation. There are real cases — including one where drug use by a pilot resulted in a runway overshoot. We cannot afford another such risk in our airspace.”
The coalition called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to immediately strengthen its medical and regulatory frameworks by instituting regular, mandatory, and random drug tests for all pilots operating within Nigerian airspace.
“Pilots hold the lives of hundreds in their hands every single day,” the statement read. “Rigorous and routine medical testing, particularly for substance use, should be non-negotiable. The NCAA must urgently review and upgrade its compliance protocols.”
In a further recommendation, the coalition urged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to collaborate directly with aviation authorities by deploying medical and enforcement teams to assist in the testing and monitoring process.
“NDLEA’s involvement would bring in a much-needed layer of credibility and expertise. This is not just about aviation regulation—it’s a public health and national security issue,” the group added.
CONYL emphasised that the lives of passengers and crew members are at stake every time an unfit pilot enters the cockpit, stressing that any delay in enforcing strict medical standards could result in preventable tragedies.
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that only sober, sound, and medically fit individuals are allowed to fly. The authorities must act decisively—lives depend on it,” the statement concluded.
