Sokoto Urges ONSA to Test Emergency Response Readiness in State
By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi
The Sokoto State Government has called on the Office of the National Security Adviser ONSA to conduct its Rapid Response 3 Crisis Response Exercise in the state, saying the initiative would strengthen coordination among security agencies and improve preparedness for emergencies.
The state’s Special Adviser on Security Matters, Col. Ahmed Usman (rtd. made the appeal while commending ONSA for organising the multi-agency exercise.
Usman described the exercise as an important initiative for testing the country’s ability to manage complex emergencies, particularly as security threats continue to evolve.
“Security threats are dynamic, and our response mechanisms must also be dynamic. We need to continuously test our systems to know what works, identify gaps and address them before a real crisis occurs” he said.
He said Sokoto would welcome the opportunity to host the exercise, noting that several communities in the state had experienced banditry and other security challenges.
“Sokoto would be very interested in having this type of exercise. We have communities that have experienced banditry, and a simulation of this nature would help us assess how prepared we are to respond to a major security incident” he said.
According to him, the exercise would provide an avenue for the military, police, emergency responders, government authorities and other relevant agencies to test their ability to operate under a unified crisis-management framework.
He stressed that effective emergency response required more than independent operations by individual agencies, emphasising the need for timely communication, intelligence sharing and coordinated action.
The Special Adviser further said hosting the exercise in Sokoto could help identify gaps in existing security and emergency response systems, while generating lessons that could benefit other states in the North-West facing similar threats.
“We believe Sokoto can provide a useful environment for this kind of exercise. The state government is willing to provide the necessary cooperation and support if ONSA decides to bring the exercise here Usman said.
He maintained that crisis management should prioritise prevention and preparedness, rather than waiting for emergencies before testing response capabilities.
“Our priority must be to save lives. We should test our preparedness before a crisis happens, not wait for a major incident before discovering that there are gaps in our response system,” he said.
