LAGOS, July 3 (Reuters) - About 20 passengers drowned in the River Benue in central Nigeria when their dug-out boat capsized after hitting an object, police said on Tuesday.

The boat was carrying about 40 passengers, mostly ethnic Fulani cattle herders fleeing from the district of Guma to the Benue state capital Makurdi after a dispute with local farmers.

The accident occurred in the early hours of Friday but was reported only on Tuesday because the area is very remote, police said.

"About 20 passengers swam to safety. Eight bodies have been recovered and we are still searching for more bodies," a police spokesman said by telephone from Makurdi.

Nigerian waterways and roads are plagued by frequent deadly accidents. Police usually blame such accidents on overloading, speeding and poorly maintained vehicles.

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