KANO, Nigeria (AFP) – Gunmen suspected of being members of an Islamist sect which launched an uprising in northern Nigeria last year have shot dead a soldier in the city of Maiduguri, police said Sunday.

The two motorcycle-riding gunmen shot dead the soldier who was recovering from an undisclosed illness, and also shot and wounded his friend in Zinnari district of the city, Borno State police spokesman Lawal Ibrahim told AFP.

"We have received report of the killing of a soldier yesterday (Saturday) outside his family home by two men on motorcycle suspected to be members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect, who also shot his civilian friend in the leg," Ibrahim said on the telephone from the state capital Maiduguri.

The soldier had returned home from his military base in the town of Biu, 200 kilometres (125 miles) away, to seek medical care, Ibrahim said.

This murder came a week after the arrest of a member of the Boko Haram sect during a failed attempt to shoot a local traditional leader at his house in the city, which was centre of the sect's armed uprising last year.

Hundreds were killed after the military and police launched an assault to put down that uprising by the sect, leaving its headquarters and mosque in ruins.

Authorities have blamed a series of recent attacks in northern Nigeria on the Boko Haram Islamist sect.

"The mode of the attack clearly shows it was carried out by members of Boko Haram," Ibrahim said, adding that no arrest has yet been made while an investigation continues.

Recent incidents have included attacks on police stations, a prison raid and shootings of police officers by motorcycle-riding gunmen.

In September, suspected Boko Haram extremists attacked a prison in northern Bauchi city and freed more than 700 inmates, including around 100 sect members standing trial for their involvement in the sect's armed insurrection last year.

Last week, police authorities in Maiduguri paraded 23 suspected members of Boko Haram arrested in connection with hit-and-run killings.

Nigerian security forces have arrested more than 150 suspected members of Boko Haram over the past weeks, police said.