Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has said he would appoint a drone as Nigeria’s minister of defence if elected president.
Sowore made the remark during a live interview on Arise Television on Thursday while speaking on the country’s worsening security challenges and the need for technology-driven solutions.
According to him, modern warfare and security operations now depend heavily on technology, stressing that Nigeria must embrace advanced systems such as drones and artificial intelligence to effectively combat terrorism and insecurity.
“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.
The AAC presidential hopeful argued that beyond military hardware, Nigeria also needs committed and honest security leaders capable of taking decisive action against criminal groups across the country.
He criticised military commanders who remain in Abuja instead of actively coordinating operations on the battlefield.
“We have to have honest leaders and supervisors and officers who are not staying in Abuja fighting over land but actually fighting wars, generals who can actually strategise and do what is right,” he stated.
Sowore also called for reforms within the Nigeria Police Force, insisting officers should focus on protecting lives and maintaining internal security rather than carrying out political 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.
Explaining further, the activist described a security structure centred on drone surveillance, artificial intelligence and a central command system capable of tracking and neutralising threats in real time.
“I’m just going to have a control centre where people sit down and track terrorists and liquidate them,” he added.
When asked if artificial intelligence could eventually serve as defence minister, Sowore agreed, saying such technology would play a major role in his proposed security framework.
“That’s part of it. And that drone will fly everywhere,” he said.
Despite his strong belief in technology, Sowore stressed that insecurity cannot be solved by military force alone. He noted that unemployment, lack of education and poor living conditions continue to push many young people into violence and criminal activities.
“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 earlier made a similar statement in January 2026 during an interview on Channels Television, where he first introduced the idea of using drones as a major part of Nigeria’s defence strategy.
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