One of the attackers drove the motorbike while the other shot the criminal investigations officer, Ghazi Al-Samawi, the official said.
The attack took place Sunday night in the town of Zinjibar in Abyan province.
Witnesses said the attackers yelled “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest) as they carried out the killing and then sped off.
Samawi featured on an Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) list of 55 policemen to be targeted for killing. AQAP on Saturday claimed responsibility for the September ambush of a bus carrying Yemeni intelligence agents, saying it killed 14 people.