ABUJA: At least 22 people were killed when a commercial bus lost control and ploughed into a crowd before bursting into flames in northern Nigeria, police said Friday.
On Thursday, the bus carrying 21 passengers swerved off the road when a front tyre burst and crashed into a crowd sheltering from the heat under a tree in the village of Udubo, in the Bauchi state.
In a statement, police spokesman Ahmed Mohammed Wakil said, “the vehicle burst into flames with twenty-one passengers on board (all) burnt beyond recognition.”
He added that four bystanders, including a policeman, sustained serious injuries and were taken to hospital. The police official later died.
Nigeria roads major cause of accidents
Accidents are common on poorly maintained roads in Nigeria, largely due to speeding and a disregard for traffic rules.
According to World Bank figures, Nigeria has seen a sharp rise in road accidents for six consecutive years, with around 42,000 annual deaths, accounting for 2.82 percent of global road fatalities.
