Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has urged security and emergency-response agencies to sustain the cooperation and intelligence-sharing tested during the Rapid Response 3 Exercise held in Asaba.
Oborevwori made the call on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the exercise organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser through the Presidential Communication Command and Control Centre.
Represented by his Deputy, Monday Onyeme, the governor said the lessons and operational skills gained during the exercise should continue to guide the response to security threats across the country.
He said, “It is also noteworthy to underscore that an exercise such as this should not end with the closing ceremony; the lessons learnt, skills acquired, the inter-agencies relationships established and the operational capabilities developed must be further sharpened, sustained beyond today and put to effective use.”
The governor described the exercise as an important step towards improving coordination among security and emergency-response agencies in tackling insurgency, terrorism and other forms of criminality.
He said Delta was particularly significant as the first sub-national location outside Abuja to host the exercise, adding that the state’s position as an economic, commercial and maritime hub made its security important to the country.
According to him, the protection of communities and critical national assets requires the combined efforts of security agencies, traditional institutions, government and citizens.
“No single institution can secure our communities alone and Security is the collective responsibility of all and sundry,” Oborevwori said.
He assured the organisers and participating agencies of the state government’s continued support for initiatives aimed at strengthening peace and security in Delta.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, represented by the Director of PC4 in the ONSA, Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughon, thanked Oborevwori for supporting the exercise.
Ribadu said Delta’s hosting of the exercise demonstrated the governor’s commitment to the safety of residents and his partnership with the Federal Government on national security.
“Your Excellency, we deeply appreciate your gracious acceptance to host the Rapid Response 3 in Delta State, the first of its kind outside the Federal Capital Territory,” Ribadu said.
He said the exercise would help strengthen the country’s security architecture and improve preparedness for emerging threats.
