ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Government has dismissed as false an online report alleging that armed men invaded the Asaba International Airport, clarifying that the security deployment witnessed in the area was part of a coordinated crisis response simulation organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Eze Emu, explained in a statement that the exercise involved security agencies and emergency responders testing their ability to react jointly to threats, including terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and other security emergencies. His clarification follows the circulation of the report, which the government said misrepresented the purpose of the operation.
The exercise, code-named Rapid Response 3 (RR3), was a national crisis response simulation designed to assess inter-agency preparedness, communication, command and control, and the effectiveness of emergency response procedures. Official briefings confirmed that the exercise was the seventh national crisis response simulation organised by ONSA and the first to be conducted outside Abuja.
According to the government, the exercise included practical simulations at designated locations in Delta State, with the Asaba International Airport serving as one of the operational sites. The exercise was conducted under a coordinated command structure involving relevant security and emergency management institutions, with the aim of identifying operational gaps and improving responses to complex emergencies.
Emu stated that residents of the Asaba capital territory and surrounding communities had been informed about the exercise through government and security agency sensitisation efforts before and during the operation. He therefore urged members of the public to disregard the online report, describing it as a false account of a planned security activity. Official exercise briefings had similarly advised residents not to mistake the movement of security personnel and emergency response teams for an actual security incident
The Delta State Government reiterated its commitment to protecting the lives and property of residents, stressing that public safety remains a priority. The clarification also underscores the importance of relying on verified information from government and security authorities when unusual security movements or emergency response activities are observed.
