Why NSIB Held A Workshop On Accident Investigation Evidence Preservation, By Badeh
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Capt. Alex Badeh (Jr) says the Aviation Stakeholder Engagement Workshop that his agency organized in Lagos yesterday was a direct response to the evolving challenges in the safety landscape and issues associated with accident preservation and substance abuse among aviation personnel.
In his welcome speech at the event, Badeh (Jr) said the workshop “builds upon previous safety recommendations and directives from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development. By coming together as regulators, investigators, operators, unions, and partners, we all have the opportunity to share best practices openly, confront challenges candidly, and forge practical, actionable commitments that will strengthen compliance, enhance reporting mechanisms, and foster a stronger culture of proactive safety.”
He noted that the purpose of Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVRs) and Flight Data Recorders (FDRs) is the objective record of events in flight and “we have all seen, in past incidents, how the untimely overwriting of these invaluable “black boxes” can limit our ability to uncover root causes, learn the right lessons, and prevent recurrence.
As clearly stated in Nig-CARs Part 7.8.1.3(b) – Operation of Flight Recorders:, “to preserve flight recorder records, flight recorders shall be deactivated upon completion of flight time following an accident or incident.”
These rules are explicit: evidence must be secured immediately after any accident or incident. By consistently adhering to these protocols across the industry, you strengthen our collective capacity to conduct thorough and accurate investigations that ultimately protect lives and build public trust.
Second, the issue of substance use among aviation personnel remains a matter of serious concern that demands our collective vigilance and zero tolerance. Impairment — whether from alcohol, psychoactive substances, or other factors can profoundly affect judgment, reaction times, and overall flight safety,” he said, stating that the NCAA regulations, particularly Nig-CARs Part 8.5.1.5, are unambiguous:
“No person may act or attempt to act as a crew member of a civil aircraft if they:
1 Have consumed any alcoholic beverage within 8 hours before acting as crew (the “bottle-to-throttle” rule);
2 Are under the influence of alcohol; or
3 Are using any psychoactive substance that affects their faculties in any way contrary to safety.
This applies to pilots and all other required flight crew members. While it is a shared responsibility, the Pilot-in-Command bears particular accountability for ensuring that no flight crew member is incapacitated by alcohol, drugs, fatigue, or other causes before commencing a flight. These requirements are fully aligned with ICAO standards, including Doc 9654, the Manual on Prevention of Problematic Use of Substances in the Aviation Workplace and set strict abstinence rules, rigorous testing protocols, and clear consequences for violations. Recent events have reminded us how important it is to internalize these policies not merely as regulatory requirements, but as genuine safeguards for passengers, colleagues, and everyone who places their trust in our aviation system.”
Badeh (Jr) further said the NSIB remains steadfast in its commitment to partner with stakeholders through training, guidance, resources, sustained collaboration, and advocacy. “Together, we will uphold the integrity of investigation evidence, eliminate impairment risks, and ensure safer, clearer skies for Nigeria,” he said.
