The official said the driver lost control of the truck before it plunged into an underpass at the Hotoro district on the outskirts of the city, Abdullahi Labaran, the spokesman of the federal road safety corps (FRSC) in Kano, said.

The truck was travelling from the northeastern city of Maiduguri heading to Nigeria’s commercial hub of Lagos in the southwest region of the country.

“Total fatalities stand at 23 while 48 other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries,” said Labaran.

He blamed the accident on reckless driving and speeding by the driver “which resulted in loss of control”.

Road accidents are common on Nigeria’s poorly maintained roads due largely to speeding and disregard for traffic rules.

Last year Nigeria recorded 9,570 road accidents which resulted in 5,421 deaths, according to FRSC data.