By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has commenced the 2026 Rapid Response 3 (RR3) Crisis Response Exercise in Asaba, Delta State, marking the first time the national multi-agency crisis simulation is being conducted outside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The five-day exercise, which began on Monday, September 7, and will end on Friday, September 11, 2026, is bringing together relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), security and emergency response organizations, strategic partners and other stakeholders to test and strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness for complex emergencies and security-related incidents.
The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation is a key partner in the exercise.
Speaking at the opening ceremony in Asaba, the Director, Presidential Command and Control Centre, ONSA, and Director of the Exercise, Rear Admiral Ayo-Vaughan, said the exercise was designed to evaluate existing crisis response plans, strengthen inter-agency coordination and identify gaps requiring further improvement.
He described Rapid Response 3 as the codename for the 2026 crisis response exercise organized by ONSA.
According to him, RR3 is the seventh national crisis response simulation conducted by the Office of the National Security Adviser, with the previous six editions held in Abuja.
He said the decision to hold the 2026 exercise in Delta State was aimed at testing Nigeria’s national crisis-response arrangements in a sub-national environment.
The full-scale exercise will feature two simulated crisis scenarios to be conducted sequentially at the Asaba International Airport and along the Benin-Asaba Expressway.
Participants will operate under the Gold, Silver and Bronze command structure established by the National Crisis Management Doctrine, representing the strategic, operational and tactical levels of coordination.
The exercise will also assess communication and information-sharing systems, command and control arrangements, operational procedures and the capacity of participating agencies to respond effectively to simulated emergencies.
The opening ceremony was attended by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Eze Emu, alongside senior government officials, security and emergency response commanders, heads of MDAs, strategic partners and members of the media.
ONSA assured residents that the exercise is a controlled simulation and does not represent an actual emergency or security incident.
The agency said residents may witness increased movements of security personnel, vehicles and emergency response teams around designated areas during the exercise, urging the public not to panic or mistake the activities for a real emergency.
Rear Admiral Ayo-Vaughan also urged the media to report only verified information and avoid disseminating unconfirmed reports capable of causing public alarm.
He said lessons and observations from the exercise would be documented and used to strengthen Nigeria’s national crisis management architecture and improve future multi-agency responses to complex emergencies.
