Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, has said he would appoint a drone as Nigeria’s Minister of Defence if elected president.
He made the remark during a live interview on Arise Television on Thursday, where he spoke extensively about his proposed approach to tackling insecurity in Nigeria.
According to Sowore, Nigeria’s security challenges require a heavy reliance on technology, including drones and artificial intelligence, rather than traditional command structures alone.
“If I become Nigeria’s president tomorrow, my minister of defence will be a drone. That’s how much I believe in technology,” he said.
He argued that the country’s military leadership needs reform, insisting that officers must be more active in conflict zones rather than remaining in the capital.
“We have to have honest leaders and supervisors and officers who are not staying in Abuja fighting over land but actually fighting wars,” he said.
Sowore also criticised the current focus of the police, saying the force should return to its core duty of internal security instead of engaging in non-essential assignments.
“A police force that can carry out internal security of the country, not escorting people or arresting people for insulting others on Facebook,” he said.
He further explained that his vision involves a command-and-control system powered by surveillance technology, where drones would be used to monitor and respond to security threats.
“I’m just going to have a control centre where people sit down and track terrorists and liquidate them,” he said.
When asked if artificial intelligence could also play a role in his proposed system, Sowore agreed, saying advanced technology would be central to his security strategy.
He, however, stressed that technology alone would not solve Nigeria’s insecurity challenges, adding that economic hardship and lack of opportunities were key drivers of violence and unrest.
“Ultimately, you must create a society where people can find jobs and go to school, and not be willing to take up arms,” he said.
Sowore had previously made similar comments in earlier interviews, where he also advocated for a technology-driven approach to national security.
What You Should Know
Nigeria’s insecurity debate has increasingly included discussions around the use of technology such as drones, surveillance systems and artificial intelligence to support military and police operations.
While some security experts support greater technological integration, others argue that intelligence reform, community policing, and socioeconomic development are equally important in addressing the root causes of violence.
Omoyele Sowore has consistently positioned himself as a pro-reform candidate advocating radical changes to governance and security structures in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.
