LAGOS (AFP) –
A truck carrying bags of cement crushed and killed at least 55 people when the driver lost control and ran into a crowd on a road in Dekina, in central Nigeria's Kogi state, police said Sunday.

"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.

Several people were also injured in the accident, which happened on Saturday, he added.

Kogi state commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission Yomi Asaniyan confirmed the death toll of 55, adding that at least 35 people were also injured in the crash.

He said the accident occurred as a result of a brake failure.

Local media said between 65 and 90 people died in the crash.

State governor Ibrahim Idris had expressed shock and sadness at the accident and declared three days of mourning for the victims of the carnage, they reported.

The governor also offered to pay the medical bills of those injured.

He advised drivers and motorists to always ensure that their vehicles are in good condition before putting them on the road to avoid preventable deaths.

Accidents on Nigeria's poorly maintained inter-city roads are common.

Last week, 23 people burned to death when a bus carrying mourners to a funeral collided with a truck on a road in southwest Nigeria.

Both vehicles burst into flames, burning their occupants.