At least 23 villagers have died in bloody clashes between two mainly fishing and farming comunities in central Nigeria's Benue state, a police spokesman said Sunday.

"Some 23 corpses have been recovered following the fighting between Ologba and Egba communities in Agatu local government area of the state," state police spokesman Austin Ezeani told AFP.

He said several villagers were also injured. The latest clashes in the region centered on a dispute over fishing rights in the area.