American missionary Kevin Rideout, who had been working in Niger for 19 years, was seized outside his home in Niamey on 28 October 2025 by three armed men. He spent almost nine months in captivity before being released, a fact confirmed by the international Christian organisation SIM International.
The organisation’s statement said Rideout was in good health and under U.S. protection, now in FBI custody. Details about the manner of release and the identity of his captors have not yet been clarified, though unnamed U.S. officials have confirmed the release.
Rideout’s abduction echoed a troubling trend of militant kidnappings in Niger’s hotbed of armed activity, the Tillabéri region. The area has been a stronghold for JNIM, an al‑Qaeda‑affiliated group linked to several recent attacks.
Following the kidnapping, U.S. authorities warned citizens to avoid travel to Niger, citing an increased risk of terrorism, crime, and civil unrest. The region has seen violence from jihadist groups operating across Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria.
Rideout is a pilot for SIM International and will soon be reunited with his wife, children, and extended family, who have expressed gratitude for worldwide prayers during his captivity. They have requested privacy as they reconnect after their time apart.
The release comes amid a broader security crisis across West Africa and the Sahel, where prolonged violence and multiple government coups have destabilised the region.
