US missionary released following kidnap in Niger, Christian group says
Summary
Kevin Rideout, an American missionary kidnapped in Niger last year, has been released and is now with US officials in good health. Details about who held him and how he was freed are not clear, but Rideout will soon reunite with his family.Key Facts
- Kevin Rideout was kidnapped in October 2025 outside his home in Niamey, Niger’s capital.
- He was taken by three armed men to the Tillaberi region, known for militant activity.
- Militants linked to groups like Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), connected to al-Qaeda, operate in the region.
- Rideout has been working as a Christian missionary and pilot in Niger for 19 years.
- US officials confirmed Rideout is now in FBI custody and in good health.
- The United States had warned citizens against traveling to Niger due to terrorism and civil unrest soon after the kidnapping.
- Rideout’s releasing happened amid ongoing violence and instability in the Sahel region affecting Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria.
- The missionary’s family has asked for privacy as they reconnect after his captivity.
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