IS's "West Africa Province" (#ISWAP) has released rare images claiming to show its Hisbah (religious) police destroying batches of drugs in an undisclosed location in "West Africa", likely in north-eastern Nigeria /1 
The images show 3 men wearing uniform brown vests with the words "Islamic State" and "Hisbah" on them. The men pile a number of black bags which presumably contain the drugs and then set them on fire /2
IS doesn't indicate where in West Africa the action took place but it's likely to be in north-eastern Nigeria, where IS appears to have limited territorial control, especially after seizing the stronghold of its rival Boko Haram last summer /3
While such pictures showing the confiscation and destruction of drugs, cigarettes and alcohol were common during the heyday of IS's "caliphate" rule when it controlled swathes of territory, they have become extremely rare and largely confined to Nigeria /4
The images support signs since last year that NE Nigeria, esp Borno state, is currently the only area where IS seems to have some ability, albeit very limited, to carry out governance activities /5
Last summer before & after it took over Boko Haram areas, IS released images and videos showing its Hisbah police, charity workers and preachers in action in undisclosed areas of Nigeria. In Jan 22, it released a vid showing children in IS-run schools in Nigiera /6
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