Kevin Rideout makes preflight checks before transporting a team from Hope Springs International in Niger....Photo Credit: christianitytoday
An American Christian missionary, Kevin Rideout, has regained his freedom after spending more than nine months in captivity following his abduction in Niger, his organisation, SIM International, has said.
According to BBC on Friday, the Rideout was kidnapped outside his home in Niger’s capital, Niamey, in October 2025 by three armed men who reportedly took him to the western Tillaberi region, an area known for militant activity.
SIM International said in a statement on Friday that Rideout was “in good health in the care of US officials”.
The New York Times, which first reported his release, cited unnamed US officials as saying he was in FBI custody. However, details of how he was released and who held him remained unclear.
