At least 18 people were killed when a passenger bus hit a truck on a highway in central Nigeria early Sunday, local police said.

The collision triggered a fire and burnt 18 people beyond recognition on a highway near Gidan Kwano village in Bosso local government area of Niger state, said Abiodun Wasiu, the police spokesperson in the state, at a press briefing in the city of Minna, the state capital.

One person was also injured in the accident, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, when the bus ran into a truck parked on the road before becoming engulfed with fire, Wasiu said, adding the bus was travelling from Lagos state, southwest Nigeria, to an unknown destination in the northern part of the country.

"The bus most likely collided with the truck before catching fire," he said.

The officer, who said the police had launched an investigation into the incident, advised motorists to always observe traffic rules and regulations.

Deadly road accidents are frequently reported in Nigeria, often caused by overloading, bad road conditions, and reckless driving.

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