Abuja, Sep 19 (IANS): At least 19 people were killed and eight others seriously injured in a road accident involving three vehicles in Nigeria's capital city of Abuja, traffic police said.

The tragedy happened as two buses collided with a truck along the Yangoji-Gwagwalada road on the outskirts of Abuja on Sunday, said Dauda Biu, acting national head of the Federal Road Safety Corps, who briefed reporters during a visit to the site.

The three vehicles collided on motion and bursted into flames, Biu said, attributing the fatal accident to overspeed and wrongful overtaking which eventually resulted in loss of control, Xinhua news agency reported.

The identities of the victims were unknown, as they burned beyond recognition and could not be preserved, according to the official.

"The 19 corpses were trapped but extricated by rescue operatives," he explained, noting that the police had launched an investigation into the incident.

He warned motorists against violating road safety guidelines and other road users, particularly commuters, to always caution commercial vehicle drivers against overspeeding.

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