Since 2009, the militant Islamist group known as Boko Haram has wreaked havoc in northern Nigeria. Instilling terror through bombings, abductions, and beheadings, Boko Haram is fighting to create an Islamic state in the most populous country in Africa. VICE News traveled to Nigeria to embed with the country's army as it ramped up its fight against Boko Haram, whose rise has caused a state of emergency. As the only journalists on the front line in northern Nigeria, we witnessed the beginning of the largest military insurgency to date.

View the full, three-part series on VICE NEWS, beginning here>>

In part one, VICE News correspondent Kaj Larsen visits the site of a recent Boko Haram attack, interviews refugees and victims of the militant group, and heads to the front lines of the ongoing conflict.