Unlike former leader, Shekau, his delivery in the Hausa language was considered and softly spoken. He released an audio message on Thursday insisting he was still in charge.
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Shekau was last heard from in an audio message last August, saying he was alive and had not been replaced – an IS video released in April said the same.
Al-Barnawi used to be the spokesperson of the group under Shekau.
In the 10-minute message, Shekau still called Baghdadi “caliph”.
The report did not say what Shekau’s current status is.
The Nigerian military had earlier dismissed the reported appointment.
He said: “Nigeria is in a mess”.
Boko Haram first pledged itself to the Islamic State in 2015.
The Islamic State (IS) had on Wednesday announced the change in leadership in the ranks of Boko Haram, its terror affiliate in Nigeria.
South African security analyst Ryan Cummings told DW that co-operation between the jihadi groups could be purely nominal.
He said the announcement of a new leader for the group was irrelevant and inconsequential to its operations.
At least 20,000 people have been killed in its trail of destruction and 2.2 million others have been forced to flee their homes, triggering a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. This earned him the reputation of group spokesman, experts say.
Al-Barnawi is said to be allied to Ansaru, which split from Boko Haram in 2012 because it disagrees with the indiscriminate killing of civilians, especially Muslims.
The Boko Haram insurgency has raged on in Nigeria’s northeast for about seven years now.
“No, I won’t. We can not subject ourselves to people who are in ignorance of all holy books and teachings”, Shekau said in the speech, delivered in Arabic and Hausa and posted on social media. “Under Shekau, Boko Haram has targeted and killed more Muslims than Christians in raids by suicide bombers and gunmen”. The crackdown by the Nigerian government and military has made significant progress in weakening the group.
Ryan Cummings, director of Signal Risk consultancy, said Shekhau had fallen foul of Isil leaders after attacks on cities like Baga, a north eastern town whose residents were all but wiped out in January 2015.
“This is our stand and we remain in our capacity as Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad (People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad)”, he said using the official name for Boko Haram, which pledged allegiance to ISIL past year.
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It is also a sign of the weakness of the group, possibly foreshadowing an eventual collapse.
