Kevin Rideout, a 52‑year‑old American missionary, returned home after being held captive for 279 days in Niger.

Rideout was abducted outside his Niamey house in October 2025 by three armed men who allegedly transported him to the Tillaberi region, a known hotspot for jihadist factions such as Jama’at Nusrat al‑Islam wal‑Muslimin, an affiliate of Al‑Qaeda.

The Christian coalition SIM International, which operates 70+ countries, announced that Rideout was “in good health” under U.S. officials’ watch.

While the New York Times speculated that Rideout might have been put under FBI custody, details of the release deal and the identity of the captors remain unclear.

The incident followed a wave of increased violence in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria, where insurgent groups have sacked towns and targeted foreign nationals.

Rideout had spent 19 years running missionary work in Niger and also flew as a certified pilot for SIM International before the kidnapping.

His family stresses that they request privacy as they reconnect after the prolonged separation.