US Missionary Kevin Rideout Released After Nine Months in Captivity in Niger

American missionary Kevin Rideout has been released after spending more than nine months in captivity following his abduction in Niger Republic, the organisation he worked for has confirmed.

Phil Bauman, International Director of SIM, a Charlotte-based Christian missionary organisation, announced Rideout’s release in a statement on Friday.

“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.

He added that Rideout was in good health and currently in the care of US officials, with plans for him to be reunited with his family.

Rideout was abducted outside his home in Niger’s capital, Niamey, on October 21, 2025. According to reports at the time, three armed men seized him and later travelled towards the western Tillaberi region.

Following the abduction, the US Embassy in Niamey issued a security alert warning American citizens of an increased risk of kidnapping across Niger and tightened security measures for embassy personnel.

The New York Times, which first reported Rideout’s release, said he was in FBI custody and in good health, citing an unnamed US official. Proof-of-life images were reportedly used to confirm his condition.

Details surrounding his release, including when and how he was freed and which group held him, remained unclear.

Niger has experienced increasing attacks by militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State, particularly in the tri-border region with Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as along its southern border with Nigeria.

The development comes amid continued counter-terrorism operations in the region, where militant groups have maintained a presence despite efforts by local and foreign security forces to combat them.