Over the last 11 years, civilians have borne the brunt of the conflict in northeast (NE) Nigeria, resulting in the deaths of more than 39,000 people. While civilians of all genders, ages, and abilities have been greatly affected by the conflict, CIVIC has found that persons with disabilities (PWDs) and the elderly are particularly vulnerable, and even more so if they are also internally displaced. This brief, “Civilian Protection Snapshot: Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly in Northeast Nigeria”, focuses on the experiences of PWDs and elderly internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Bama and Dikwa Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Borno state – the epicenter of the crisis – and provides a window into the specific protection concerns they face. PWDs and the elderly have experienced many protection threats, including debilitating injuries, throughout the course of the conflict. To better protect themselves, many are unable to adopt traditional self-protection strategies such as fleeing. These unique situations demand tailored approaches to support their protection.

CIVIC intends for this protection snapshot to inform the Government of Nigeria, state and civilian security forces, civil society organizations, and the diplomatic community on how to tailor existing civilian protection initiatives to the specific protection and security challenges faced by PWDs and the elderly.