Understanding Boko Haram's Strict Firearms Control And Its Implications

Detering and punishing the indiscriminate use of firearms and ammunition among fighters was a top priority for the leadership of Boko Haram, an insurgent group that has waged a devastating terror campaign in Northeast Nigeria and the Lake Chad region.

The insurgent group, also known as Jama’atu Ahl al-Sunnah Lil-Dawa wal-Jihad (JAS), imposed strict rules dictating the conditions for private ownership of arms and the control of stockpiles in the custody of the various cells operating across territories where the group wielded influence.

The policy provides guidelines on the use of ammunition as well as the management of captured weapons, which are known to make up a significant amount of the weaponry in the group’s inventory.