Drone would head defence ministry under my presidency – Sowore

African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has proposed an unconventional approach to tackling Nigeria’s insecurity, saying advanced technology and artificial intelligence should play a central role in national defence.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, the activist said he would rely heavily on drones and AI-driven systems if elected president.

According to him, modern warfare has moved beyond traditional methods, insisting that technology would be more effective in combating terrorism and violent crimes across the country.

“If I become Nigeria’s president tomorrow, my minister of defence will be a drone,” Sowore said during the interview. “That’s how much I believe in technology.”

The former presidential candidate criticised what he described as poor military leadership, accusing some senior officers of remaining in the capital instead of confronting security threats directly.

“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. “We need generals who can strategise and do what is right.”

Sowore argued that Nigeria’s security agencies require a complete technological upgrade, stressing that sophisticated equipment and better coordination were necessary to confront insurgents and criminal groups.

He also called for reforms within the police force, saying officers should focus on internal security duties rather than political assignments or social media-related arrests.

“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 his security vision further, Sowore said he envisaged a command-and-control system powered by drones and artificial intelligence capable of tracking armed groups in real time.

“I’m just going to have a control centre where people sit down and track terrorists and liquidate them,” he stated.

When asked whether artificial intelligence itself could become the country’s defence minister, Sowore responded affirmatively, adding, “That’s part of it. And that drone will fly everywhere.”

Despite his emphasis on technology, the AAC candidate maintained that insecurity could not be solved through military force alone. He argued that economic hardship and lack of opportunities continued to push many young Nigerians towards violence.

“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 expressed similar views during a January 2026 interview, where he first suggested the idea of using drones and AI at the centre of Nigeria’s defence strategy.