The following memo analyzes data for the focus states of Borno, Yobe, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta for January 2017.

There were 28 incidents of Violence Affecting Women and Girls (VAWG) reported from all NSRP Observatory sources in January 2017. Fighting continued between the Jama’atu Ahli Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) group and the Nigerian Armed Forces in Borno state in January, resulting in a high number of conflict fatalities, reports of female suicide bombers, and abductions of women and children. However, consistent with previous months, sexual violence and domestic abuse continued to be the two most salient issues reported throughout the eight NSRP states for the month of January.

Kano state reported the highest number of VAWG incidents this month with seven reports, followed by Borno state with six incidents and Delta and Kaduna with five incidents each. Ten of the 28 total incidents resulted in fatalities. NSRP Observatory sources also observed two incidents of violence affecting boys.