Monday, December 21, 2009
Lorry hits Nigeria Kogi state market killing up to 100 – CREDIT BBC
Up to 100 people have been killed after a runaway truck ploughed into a crowded market in Nigeria.
Officials said 55 people died, but a BBC reporter at the scene, in Kogi state, counted at least 100 corpses.
Kogi state police said the lorry hurtled down a hill at speed, smashing cars and motorcycles then crashing into the market, injuring up to 40 people.
Traffic accidents are common in Nigeria because vehicles and roads are badly maintained.
"I can only confirm that 55 people were killed. The driver of the truck lost control and ran into a group of people moving in a procession along the road," a senior police officer told AFP news agency.