American Missionary Kevin Rideout Freed After Nine Months In Captivity In Niger
American Missionary Kevin Rideout Freed After Nine Months in Captivity in Niger American missionary pilot Kevin Rideout has been released after more than nine months in captivity in Niger and is now in the care of U.S. officials, according to the Christian organization he worked for. Kevin Rideout, an American missionary who was abducted in Niger’s capital last year, has been released after spending more than nine months in captivity. Serving In Mission SIM International, the evangelical organization for which Rideout worked, confirmed Friday that he was free and in U.S. custody.
The release brings an end to a lengthy ordeal that began with Rideout’s abduction in Niamey on October 21, 2025. Rideout was seized by three unidentified armed men as he was heading toward the airport, according to information previously provided by a diplomatic source. The kidnappers reportedly drove toward Niger’s western Tillaberi region, an area where militant groups linked to al Qaida and Islamic State operate. No armed organization publicly claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. Rideout had worked as a missionary in Niger for many years and also served as a pilot for SIM, which carries out humanitarian and Christian missionary work in numerous countries. For much of his captivity, little public information was available about Rideout’s condition or whereabouts.
Reuters reported that U.S. authorities had been working to locate him and had sought to improve intelligence-gathering capabilities in the region partly because of the kidnapping. By March, Rideout was believed to possibly be held in neighboring Mali by Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal-Muslimin JNIM, an al-Qaida-linked militant organization, although his eventual captors have not been publicly identified.
Details surrounding his release also remain unclear. Authorities have not publicly explained who secured his freedom, where he was released or which group held him at the end of his captivity.
Reports indicate that Rideout is now being assisted by U.S. officials and is on his way back to the United States. Rideout’s abduction prompted the U.S. Embassy in Niamey to issue a security alert warning that American citizens faced an elevated risk of kidnapping throughout Niger, including in the capital. Niger has faced years of attacks by jihadist groups operating across the wider Sahel, particularly in areas bordering Mali and Burkina Faso.
The security situation has deteriorated further since Niger’s 2023 military coup, which removed President Mohamed Bazoum. The country’s military authorities subsequently pushed out several Western partners, including U.S. forces, and strengthened ties with Russia. Rideout’s kidnapping occurred against a backdrop of expanding militant activity across the Sahel. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have all struggled with insurgencies involving groups affiliated with al-Qaida and Islamic State. Armed groups have increasingly demonstrated the ability to operate beyond remote rural areas and target strategic locations in major cities. In June, more than 30 people were killed in an attack on Niamey’s main airport, highlighting the continuing security challenges confronting Niger’s military government. SIM said Rideout is in good health and will soon be reunited with his family. The organization expressed gratitude following his release, describing him as a friend and brother in its missionary community. For U.S. officials and Rideout’s colleagues, the announcement marks a significant breakthrough after months of uncertainty over the missionary’s fate. Kevin Rideout, an American missionary pilot abducted in Niamey in October 2025, has been freed after more than nine months in captivity. He is reportedly in good health and in the care of U.S. officials, although the circumstances of his release and the identity of his captors remain unknown.
