29 die as speeding Nigerian buses crash, burst into flames

ABUJA (AFP) - Two speeding buses on Friday collided head-on and burst into flames killing at least 29 people and injuring 16 others in northern Nigeria's Yobe state, police and an official said.

The crash was the latest tragedy to befall travellers on Nigeria's perilous roads, plagued with accidents due to a combination of reckless driving, overloading and poor maintenance.

"Two Toyota Hiace Buses... travelling in opposite directions had a head-on collision and thereafter went off in flames. Twenty nine persons - 11 of them burnt beyond recognition - have so far been confirmed dead," national police spokesman Frank Mba said in a statement.

The accident occurred in the state's Nengere area, the statement added. The injured were taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Potiskum.