🇺🇸 US missionary Kevin Rideout has been freed after more than nine months in captivity in Niger, the Christian organisation he works for confirmed on Friday. The vehicle security agency, SIM International, said in a statement that Rideout was in good health following his release to U.S. authorities and that he had been held in an unknown location for months.
Rideout was abducted on 2 October outside his front door in Niamey. Three armed men seized the U.S. missionary, who was training local Christian communities and also served as a pilot for SIM International, which operates in over 70 countries.
For weeks the U.S. government warned citizens against traveling to Niger, citing an "increased risk of terrorism, crime and civil unrest" as the region saw a surge of attacks from jihadist groups originating from neighbouring Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The New York Times reported that Rideout was now in FBI custody, though the details of his transfer and the identity of the captors remain unclear. Speculation points to the possibility that he was taken by JNIM, an al‑Qaida‑affiliated group linked to several high‑profile attacks.
SIM International said Rideout will soon be reunited with his wife, children and extended family. The organisation thanked the global community for the prayers and support he received throughout his captivity, and it has requested privacy during this emotional period.
Rideout’s release highlights the ongoing threat to foreign nationals in the Sahel, where violence has escalated over more than a decade. The region has also faced political instability, with several governments toppled in recent years.
