Nigeria - Gunmen late Sunday shot dead a secret police officer in front of his house in Nigeria's northeastern city of Damaturu, a resident said.

The police confirmed the shooting, but said they were not sure if he was killed.

The state security service officer was "sitting outside his house with some friends this evening when two gun came through the back street in Jeri district of the town and opened fire on him and killed him," said the resident.

Yobe police boss, Lawan Tanko, who confirmed the shooting to AFP, said he was unsure if the victim had died.

"I received the report of the gun attack on the state security service officer in Jeri. He was shot by by two gunmen outside his. It is still not clear if he was just injured or that he was actually killed," said Tanko.

The attackers detonated some explosives to create panic and pave the way for their escape, he said.

The victim's friends ran away during the attack, the resident said.

 
The identity of the officer has not been disclosed.

On January 16, an unidentified gunmen shot dead three Chadian nationals in Damaturu, capital of Yobe state, near the Chadian border.

Damaturu has been hit hard by violence blamed on the Islamist group Boko Haram.