Nigerian Military to deploy robots, drones, digital grenades against terrorists

The Nigerian military is resorting to the use of robots and drones to gather intelligence in order to outsmart bandits and other criminals terrorising the country.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), through its National Center for Artificial Intelligence Robotics and Robotics (NCAIR), has joined forces with the Nigerian Army to use the modern method of intelligence gathering to address security challenges bedevilling the country.

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The two agencies would also jointly manufacture locally-made military equipment to tackle insecurity.

The initiative was to provide first-hand intelligence gathering to the Nation’s security architecture using technology and digital-driven methods aimed at bringing an end to the incessant security threats in the country.

Director, National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Engr. Ya’u Garba Isa disclosed this when he received the Rector, Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) Markudi, Benue State, Brigadier General Yahaya H Abdulhamid, at his office in Abuja on Thursday.

Isa, in a statement issued by NITDA, said: “Collaboration with the military will open a huge opportunity for the Center to explore manufacturing of locally made military hardware that will be used in fighting criminal elements.”

Garba informed his audience that NCAIR, as digital innovation and research facility, is focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics and Drones, Internet of Things (IOT) and other emerging technologies that can be deployed to a mission area so as to provide intelligence report.

He added that the Center is also looking into the possibility of producing what they termed as ‘Digital Grenade’ that can be used with ‘Wireless Censored Network’ in detecting some vital information in the field during operations.

“NCAIR focuses on creating a thriving ecosystem for Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship (IDE), job creation and national development”, he explained.

Garba then assured the management of the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology of his office’s unflinching support towards the realization of the mutual collaboration that will bring about a suitable environment for discovery and harnessing the abundant creative ideas of Nigeria’s teeming youth through the promotion of innovative technologies.

Earlier, the Rector of the College, Brigadier General Yahaya H Abdulhamid, said the idea to partner with the NITDA was borne out of the serious impact the agency had been making in areas of emerging technologies.