ONSA Director of Exercise, Rear Admiral Ayo-Vaughan, speaks at the opening of the 2026 Rapid Response 3 exercise in Asaba, Delta State.
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has taken its national crisis response simulation outside Abuja for the first time, as the 2026 Rapid Response 3 exercise begins in Asaba, Delta State.
The five-day exercise, which started on Monday, September 7, will run until Friday, September 11, bringing together Ministries, Departments and Agencies, security and emergency response organisations, strategic partners and other stakeholders.
The exercise is designed to test Nigeria’s preparedness and capacity to respond to complex emergencies and security-related incidents, while identifying gaps in the country’s crisis response system.
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 simulation would evaluate existing crisis response plans and strengthen coordination among relevant agencies.
He said Rapid Response 3 is the codename for the 2026 crisis response exercise and the seventh national crisis response simulation conducted by ONSA.
According to him, the previous six exercises were held in Abuja, while the decision to move the 2026 edition to Delta State provides an opportunity to test national crisis-response arrangements in a sub-national environment.
In a statement by Adefolarin Faturoti, Director, Public Relations and Protocol, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the full-scale exercise will feature two simulated crisis scenarios.
The scenarios will 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 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 ability of participating agencies to respond effectively to simulated emergencies.
The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation is a key partner in the exercise.
The opening ceremony was attended by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, 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 has assured residents that the exercise is a controlled simulation and does not represent an actual emergency or security incident.
Residents may witness increased movements of security personnel, vehicles and emergency response teams around designated areas and have been advised 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.onsa
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