Shekau accused al-Barnawi of trying to stage a coup against him.
Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow Nigeria's government and establish an Islamic State in the north.
In the last 18 months it has lost most of the territory it had controlled after being pushed back by an offensive by the forces of Nigeria and its neighbours.
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| The Boko Haram insurgency has displaced more than two million people |
Boko Haram has split before but this is the most serious division to date.
Abubakar Shekau's outburst clearly shows that there are deep disagreements, which could translate into clashes between the foot soldiers loyal to the two leaders.
It is also a sign of the weakness of the group, possibly foreshadowing an eventual collapse.
Military officials say the split is an indication that the group is breathing its last.
But some security analysts caution that the internal wrangling could make it more deadly and unpredictable.
Nigeria and the other regional forces will now need to turn this factionalism to their advantage.
Shekau had been accused of hoarding food and ammunition and also of driving away IS military advisers.
BBC's Abuja bureau editor Naziru Mikailu says this split is likely to have a major impact on the way the group operates and could be a turning point in the fight against the insurgents.
Shekau took over as the group's leader after its founder, Muhammad Yusuf, died in Nigerian police custody in July 2009.
Under his leadership Boko Haram became more radical, carried out more killings and swore allegiance to IS in March 2015.
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