In brief
Kevin Rideout, an American missionary and pilot, was kidnapped outside his Niamey home in October 2025. After more than nine months, SIM International said he is in good health under US officials and now in FBI custody, though the details of his release remain unclear. His kidnapping highlights the threat from militant groups such as JNIM operating in the Tillabéri region. The release brings relief to his family and offers a glimmer of hope amid ongoing security challenges across the Sahel.
American missionary freed after nine‑month captivity.
Kevin Rideout, an American missionary and pilot, was kidnapped outside his home in Niamey in October 2025.
After more than nine months of captivity, SIM International announced that Rideout is in good health and under the care of US officials.
Although details of his release remain unclear, the New York Times reported that he is now in FBI custody, raising questions about the groups that held him, including the al‑Qaeda‑affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al‑Islam wal‑Muslimin (JNIM).
The incident underscores a rise in militant violence in Niger’s Tillabéri region, a hotbed for jihadist activity that targets civilians and soldiers.
SIM International said the release is “incredibly good news” after months of uncertainty, thanking the prayers offered worldwide.
Rideout will soon be reunited with his wife, children and extended family, who have asked for privacy as they reconnect after the ordeal.
Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria continue to suffer from ongoing terror attacks, with the Sahel region’s security situation deteriorating across the time‑line.
