KANO, Nigeria, March 24, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Twenty two people were killed when a commercial bus lost control and ploughed into a crowd before bursting into flames in northern Nigeria, police said Friday. 

The bus carrying 21 passengers swerved off the road on Thursday when a front tyre burst, and crashed into a crowd sheltering from the heat under a tree in Udubo village, in the Bauchi state.

Police spokesman Ahmed Mohammed Wakil said in a statement that "the vehicle burst into flames with twenty-one passengers on board (all) burnt beyond recognition".

Four bystanders, including a policeman, sustained serious injuries and were taken to hospital, he added. The policeman later died.

Accidents are common on Nigeria's poorly maintained roads largely due to speeding and a disregard for traffic rules. 

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, according to World Bank figures.