A 23 year old woman who was kidnapped by unknown people and a ransom demand of Sh5 million made for her release was Sunday rescued alive. Police and the family of Hafsa Mohamed Lukman said she was found abandoned and locked in a house in Matopeni area, Kayole.

She was alone in the house when police arrived there. This was long after her apparent captors had left the area.

Police took her to the local police station to record a statement before being taken to the hospital for check up.

It is not clear why the kidnappers decided to abandon her there and leave but police said the scene was among those they had been focusing on.

Police and the family said no ransom was paid.

Lukman was kidnapped by unknown people from Kamukunji area, Nairobi on June 15.

Days later, the image of a girl believed to be her went viral on social media indicating she was being tortured by her captors.

The family said the people holding Hafsa had made a ransom demand of Sh5 million or they kill her.

The captors sent a video to the family showing Hafsa badly injured on her face and had her eyes covered by a piece of clothe. They sent at least three videos and messages to the family.

She was heard saying the captors want money from the family as a ransom before releasing her.

"Nimeshikwa na wanataka pesa tafadhali mtume pesa (I am under captive and they want money, please send the money,” she was heard saying in the video.

This was in response to demands by one of the men holding her telling her to speak in Swahili. He spoke in Somali.

The gang also sent a message to the family asking why they shared images of Hafsa that had been sent to them and demanded the money be sent to them.

The family made a missing report at California police station in Eastleigh on June 15, when she went missing.

And since then, the kidnappers have been sending videos of the girl to the family, a family member said.

Police said the gang had been shifting bases within Kayole, Nairobi while making the demands.

Teams of police visited at least three sites that they thought the woman was being held in vain.

Hafsa was last seen at her clothing shop in Kamukunji before her kidnapping at about 5pm.

The incident came amid concerns among security officials the cases of kidnapping are on the rise.

A meeting of Regional Commissioners and County Commissioners said kidnapping is emerging as a leading threat to stability in the country ahead of the 2022 general elections.

Police said they have been receiving missing reports at an increasing rate.

Police say teams have been formed to deal with the trend.