ABUJA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- 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.
"His death has no doubt created a consequential vacuum in the Boko Haram leadership particularly as the gallant troops remain resilient and continue to rout the criminal elements from their last enclaves in the northeast," the statement added.
