By Odita Sunday
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has commenced the 2026 Rapid Response 3 Crisis Response Exercise in Asaba, Delta State, in a major test of Nigeria’s preparedness to manage complex emergencies and security-related incidents.
The five-day multi-agency simulation exercise, which began on Monday, will run until Friday, September 11, bringing together relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to test existing response plans, coordination mechanisms, command structures and rapid deployment capabilities.
Director, Presidential Command and Control Centre (DPC4-ONSA), Rear Admiral Adedotun Olukayode Ayo-Vaughan, disclosed this in a media briefing on Monday, saying the exercise was designed to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, communication, command and control, and the effective management of crisis situations.
According to him, participating agencies will operate across the three established command levels of Gold, Silver and Bronze, in line with the National Crisis Management Doctrine.
Ayo-Vaughan stressed that the exercise was being conducted in a controlled environment and should not be mistaken for an actual emergency or security incident.
He said the exercise marked the first time the ONSA was conducting its Crisis Response Exercise outside the Federal Capital Territory, attributing the development to the support of the Delta State Government under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
He commended the governor for the support, saying it demonstrated the state government’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
The DPC4-ONSA director said the exercise locations were carefully selected to ensure realism, with several reconnaissance missions conducted to assess their suitability.
He explained that the exercise would be conducted in four phases, beginning with the pre-exercise briefing, followed by enabler training for participating components on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Thursday will serve as the main exercise day, while Friday will be devoted to an after-action review and assessment of lessons learned.
At Asaba, yesterday.
👆🏿seated with the Dr Kingsley Emu, SSG Delta State n rep of SGOH HE The Gov. Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori
He said observations from stakeholders, exercise observers, planning team members and commanders would be used to identify gaps and improve future crisis response exercises.
Ayo-Vaughan also warned members of the public not to panic over the movement of security vehicles, personnel and emergency response teams within designated areas, stressing that such activities were part of the simulation.
He said the public had been informed through SMS and radio messages and urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with authorities throughout the exercise.
The ONSA official further urged the media to report only verified information and avoid disseminating unconfirmed reports capable of causing public panic.
He said only accredited media personnel would be permitted to cover activities within the exercise areas, noting that the measure was aimed at ensuring responsible reporting in the interest of national security and public safety.
He added that adequate safety and security arrangements had been put in place for participants, observers, accredited journalists and members of the public within the designated areas.
Ayo-Vaughan said the exercise would provide an opportunity to assess Nigeria’s collective preparedness, strengthen inter-agency coordination and identify areas requiring improvement in the country’s crisis management architecture.
He called for the commitment and cooperation of participating agencies, stakeholders, the media and the public to ensure the success of the exercise.
He urged Nigerians to remain calm and recognise that activities observed within the exercise areas were simulated and strictly part of the training exercise.
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