American missionary Kevin Rideout is released after kidnapping in Niger
SIM International said the pilot was freed in good health after being abducted from his home in Niamey last year.
Kevin Rideout, an American missionary pilot, has been released after being kidnapped from his home in Niger’s capital, Niamey, last fall. His mission organization said on Friday that he was safe and in good health.
SIM International said Rideout was now in the care of U.S. officials and would soon be reunited with his family. The group did not provide details about how he was freed.
Rideout had been taken from his residence in Niamey in 2025, according to earlier reports. The case drew attention because kidnappings of foreigners in the region have raised security concerns for aid workers and missionaries.
Niger, a West African country that has faced persistent instability, has seen a series of abductions in recent years. Rideout’s release closes a case that had remained unresolved for months.
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