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Fifty-nine people have been confirmed dead in central Nigeria's Niger state, after a fuel tanker collided with a lorry carrying passengers and cattle, the state emergency agency said.

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency said the collision happened at about 00:30 local time on Sunday (23:30 GMT Saturday), and caused an explosion which engulfed both vehicles.

Director-general of the agency, Abdullahi Baba Ara, said response teams were dispatched to the scene to manage the situation.

A number of other vehicles were also caught up in the explosion.

Ibrahim Hussaini, spokesman for the Niger state emergency unit, told the ����ý that the death toll could rise even higher.

"The death toll has now risen to 59 after one of those badly injured died at the hospital and from more discoveries at the site of the accident.

"It's also possible that more dead bodies could be discovered in the process of the continued evacuation," he added.

Footage taken from the scene shortly after the incident shows the two vehicles, which have been entirely burnt out, as well as a number of dead cattle.

Speaking to the Reuters news agency after the incident, an emergency rescue worker said they were attempting to recover bodies, as well as dead animals which were still inside the vehicle.

Mr Hussaini told the ����ý that funerals took place for the most of the victims on Sunday.

“This without doubt is the worst accident we have recorded in many years,” he said.

He added that the Niger state government is footing the hospital bill for those injured.

Governor Umaru Bago said he was “pained by the unfortunate incident” in a condolence message to the families of the victims.

Fuel tanker explosions and accidents are common in Nigeria, partly due to the poor state of roads.