Two commuter buses collided head-on in northern Nigeria and burst into flames, killing 36 people, police and witnesses said.
The accident occurred Saturday night in the northern town of Birnin-Kudu in Jigawa state, said police spokesman Awalu Bebeji.
It was not immediately clear why the vehicles burst into flames, but bus drivers often carry extra cans of gasoline in case of fuel shortages.
Witness Mohammed Abubakar told reporters in Birnin-Kudu on Sunday that one of the buses tried to overtake at high speed.
“I saw when one of the buses was trying to overtake a small vehicle at a sharp bend, they collided and caught fire
immediately,” Abubakar said. “I watched the vehicle burning and I could hear people cry, but the flames were too much, we could not go close,” he said, adding that most of the bodies were “burnt beyond recognition.”
Bebeji said at least five people survived and were being treated at a local hospital.
Highway crashes are frequent in Nigeria. Police cite reckless driving as a major cause, while trucking and bus companies blame the dilapidated state of the country’s roads.