US Missionary Abducted In Niger Released After 9 Months In Captivity

An American missionary, Kevin Rideout, who was abducted in Niger and held captive for more than nine months, has been released and is now in the care of United States officials, his missionary organisation, SIM International, has confirmed.

SIM International Director, Phil Bauman, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, expressing gratitude over Rideout’s release.

“We are grateful to confirm that our good friend and brother in Christ, Kevin Rideout, has been released after over nine months in captivity,” Bauman said.

“Kevin is in good health in the care of US officials,” he added, noting that the missionary would soon be reunited with his family.

Rideout was kidnapped outside his home in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on October 21, 2025, according to SIM International, a Charlotte-based Christian missionary organisation operating in more than 70 countries.

He was reportedly seized by three unidentified men who later headed towards Niger’s western Tillaberi region, an area where Islamist militants are active.

Reuters had reported at the time, citing an unnamed diplomat, that the kidnappers moved in the direction of the region.

Following the incident, the United States Embassy in Niger issued a warning about a “heightened concern about the threat of kidnapping” and increased security requirements for embassy personnel.

The New York Times, which first reported Rideout’s release, said the missionary was in FBI custody and in good health, citing an unnamed US official.

The report said proof-of-life images had been obtained, although it remained unclear when or how Rideout was released or which group held him during the final period of his captivity.

The newspaper also reported that Rideout may have recently been moved before his release.

The FBI declined to comment when contacted by CNN.

Niger has witnessed increased attacks by militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, particularly in the tri-border area connecting Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as along the country’s southern border with Nigeria.

In May, US and Nigerian forces reportedly killed a senior Islamic State commander, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.