Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Office of the National Security Adviser has launched a five-day multi-agency crisis response exercise in Delta State to assess Nigeria's preparedness and capacity to respond to complex emergencies and security-related incidents. The exercise, codenamed Rapid Response 3 Crisis Response Exercise 2026, began in Asaba on Monday, September 7, 2026, and is scheduled to run until Friday, September 11. It is the first time the ONSA is conducting its Crisis Response Exercise outside the Federal Capital Territory, bringing together relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies involved in crisis management to test existing response plans, procedures, coordination mechanisms, and operational capabilities.
Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, Director of the Presidential Command and Control Centre at ONSA, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, said the exercise was designed to enhance inter-agency cooperation, communication, command and control, rapid deployment, and effective management of crisis situations. He explained that participating agencies would operate within the three established levels of command—Gold, Silver, and Bronze—in line with the National Crisis Management Doctrine, with scenarios carefully designed to test their ability to respond rapidly, coordinate efforts, and manage the consequences of a simulated crisis.
According to Ayo-Vaughan, the exercise will be conducted in four phases over five days, with the first two days dedicated to enabler training, Thursday designated as the main exercise day, and Friday devoted to an after-action review and assessment of lessons learned. He stressed that the exercise was being conducted in a controlled environment and did not represent an actual emergency or security incident. "This is the first time the Office of the National Security Adviser is conducting the Crisis Response Exercise outside the Federal Capital Territory," he said, attributing the choice of Delta State to the support of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the suitability of selected locations, which were carefully chosen to depict realism.
In a direct message to residents, Ayo-Vaughan urged the public not to panic over the heavy movements of security vehicles, personnel, and emergency response teams within designated areas, noting that members of the public had been adequately informed through SMS and radio messages to distinguish exercise activities from actual emergencies. He also appealed to the media to report only verified information and avoid disseminating unconfirmed reports capable of causing public panic, adding that only accredited journalists would be allowed to cover the exercise to ensure responsible reporting in the interest of national security and public safety. He said adequate safety and security measures had also been put in place for participants, observers, accredited journalists, and members of the public within the exercise areas.
The ONSA official said the exercise would provide an important opportunity to assess Nigeria's collective preparedness, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and identify areas requiring further improvement in the country's crisis management architecture. He called for the cooperation of participating agencies, stakeholders, the media, and members of the public to ensure the success of the exercise. Observations and lessons from stakeholders, observers, exercise planners, and commanders would be documented and used to improve future crisis response exercises.
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