MAIDUGURI, Nigeria - Gunmen suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram militants on Sunday shot dead a traditional title holder in the troubled Nigerian northeast city of Maiduguri, a senior police officer said.

The police officer who did not want his name in print for "official reason" said the slain traditional leader, Mala Kaka, was shot dead at about 1 pm local time in his house at Fezzan in the metropolis.

Kaka was a senior member of the Borno state Emirate council led by the Shehu of Borno who was the second in command to Sultan of Sokoto, the leader of the Muslim community in Nigeria.

The Shehu and some elders as well as Islamic leaders met last Friday in Maiduguri in what they called a move to take far-reaching decisions to end the lingering insecurity in the area occasioned by the activities of Boko Haram sect.