Mohamed Ali Hussein was gunned down by thugs armed with pistols near the area livestock market after performing evening prayer in a mosque in the area.

Government officials picked the body of the slain deputy director from the crime scene. It is not yet known who the assailants were and what their motive was up to. Hussein has earlier worked in Central Bank of Somalia as cashier.

No group has claimed the responsibility of the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on Al-Shabaab militants and their sympathisers for the killing.