Nigeria confirms Boko Haram leader killed

ABUJA: Nigerian defense authorities on Monday confirmed a senior commander of the terror group Boko Haram was killed during a recent military operation in the northeastern state of Borno.

In a statement made available to Xinhua, the defense media center in Borno said the Boko Haram commander was identified as Abu Usamah who led the terror group in an encounter with troops on March 22. Usamah died of gunshot wounds following that encounter with troops in Gorgi, a town in the Damboa local government area of Borno, said the statement.