Abuja: Nigerian forces have killed a man claiming to be the leader of Islamist Boko Haram militants, Abubakar Shekau, the country's defence authority said Wednesday.

Mohammed Bashir, who has been acting or posing in videos as the deceased Abubakar Shekau, the eccentric character known as the leader of the group, died in an encounter with Nigerian troops in Konduga area of northern Borno state, Xinhua quoted defence spokesperson Chris Olukolade as saying in a statement.