Nigeria traditional leader shot dead by gunmen

Many towns and villages have been razed to the ground in the north-east

A high-ranking traditional leader has been killed in northern Nigeria after his convoy came under attack by suspected Boko Haram militants.

Gunmen shot dead the Emir of Gwoza, Shehu Mustapha Idris Timta, in his car.
Boko Haram has waged an increasingly bloody insurgency since 2009 to create an Islamic state in Nigeria.
Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan vowed to wage "total war" against the group, which has been held more than 200 girls captive since last month.
"They shot the emir of Gwoza. He died on the spot," Wali Ibrahim, an aide to the emir, told the BBC Hausa service.
"After he died we reversed back from that area and we went to the army checkpoint," he added.

The emir of Kano was targeted by suspected Boko Haram gunmen last year