Bandits who kidnapped the Emir of Kajuru and 13 royal family members have demanded for N200 million ransom.

This was disclosed by the Spokesman of the Emirate Council, Dahiru Abubakar who spoke to Channels Television.

He said that the bandits also assured them that all the victims are in good condition and were not being molested.

He said that the council is still appealing to the bandits to release the 85-year-old monarch and his relatives unconditionally, especially giving his fragile health condition.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that one bandit was killed and some others injured in a shootout with soldiers during the attack on the Palace of the Emir of Kajuru, Alhassan Adamu in Kajuru local government area on Sunday morning.

This is according to security sources in the local government.

The bandits during the operation, divided themselves into two, with one group engaging the soldiers in a gun battle, while the other group moved into the palace, and later took the Emir and 14 members of his family away into the forest.

The residents said that the bandits, numbering over 200, arrived at the community on motorcycles in the early hours of Sunday morning through a nearby forest that stretches the Kaduna-Abuja highway in Kachia local government area, and started shooting sporadically, before they were engaged by soldiers that were deployed to the area.