A woman waits at a polio immunisation health centre, in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, August 29, 2016. Nigeria's military has liberated large swathes of land from Boko Haram but a ride with an army convoy, all guns firing for fear of ambush, shows how far the northeast is from normality after a brutal Islamist insurgency that has displaced millions. The moment military convoys leave the relative safety of Bama, Borno state's second town, soldiers in the lead vehicle open fire with a heavy cannon into the scrub along the road to pre-empt attacks by remaining fighters from the Islamist group. Reuters was given access to the Nigerian army on the ground as it seeks to reimpose order in Borno after seven years of dominance by Boko Haram, one of the world's deadliest Islamist groups and a major challenge to a government also grappling with an economic crisis caused by plunging oil prices. As the first international reporting team to travel through the area by road since Boko Haram was pushed back, Reuters was able to see the devastation caused by the group. Roads are highly dangerous, no food is grown in the fields, and people are still trickling out of their hiding places in the bush. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A child stands in front of a house in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, August 29, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A man walks past a local vigilantes' office in Maidugugri, Borno, Nigeria August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A petrol station, which was once taken over by Boko Haram militants, is pictured with writings by the militants in Bama, Borno State, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A military vehicle drives into the Emir's palace in Bama, which was the former headquarters of the Boko Haram militants in Bama, Borno, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A woman walks toward a house damaged by Boko Haram militants, along the Konduga-Bama road in Bama, Borno, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A man cycles past a military truck in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





Parents lower their children from a loaded truck at a local bus station in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A woman lies on a bench at the Nigeria Air Force hospital in Bama, Borno, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





Girls walk on a street in Maiduguri, Borno, Nigeria August 30, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A Nigerian army convoy vehicle drives ahead with an anti-aircraft gun, on its way to Bama, Borno State, Nigeria August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





An abandoned tank is seen in a field in Bama, Borno State, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A girl is seen at a polio immunisation health centre in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, August 29, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A child is given a dose of polio vaccine at an immunisation health centre, in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, August 29, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





An elderly man walks along a nearly empty street, opposite the Nigeria Air Force hospital in Bama, Borno, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A soldier walks past a checkpoint in Bama, Borno State, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A bullet riddled mosque is pictured along Konduga-Bama road in Bama, Borno, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A boy salutes at a military truck in Maiduguri, Borno, Nigeria August 31, 2016. Picture taken from inside a vehicle. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





A military vehicle drives along the Konduga-Bama road in Bama, Borno, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





Boys are reflected in water at the internally displaced people's camp in Bama, Borno State Nigeria August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)





Women gather at a water collecting point at the internally displaced people's camp in Bama, Borno State, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (Photo by Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)