American Missionary Freed After 9 Months in Captivity
American Christian missionary Kevin Rideout has been freed after nine months in captivity in Niger, where he was kidnapped near the presidential palace by suspected Islamic terrorists last October.
Kevin Rideout, who was abducted near his residence in the Nigerien capital Niamey on October 21, 2025, has been released into the custody of United States officials and is reported to be in good health, according to a statement from SIM International, the North Carolina-based Christian missionary organization for which he serves as a pilot.
Trump confirmed the liberation on Sunday, revealing that Rideout has been reunited with his wife. The president noted that this rescue represents the 110th captive American freed since his second inauguration, adding that he looks forward to welcoming Kevin and his wife Krista to the White House.
The kidnapping occurred in a particularly brazen location—just 150 feet from Niger’s presidential palace—underscoring the deteriorating security situation in the West African nation. While authorities have not publicly identified which group carried out the abduction, regional analysts cited by The Washington Post have connected the incident to Islamic terrorist organizations operating throughout the Sahel region.
In a Friday post on Truth Social, Trump described Rideout as a wonderful Christian Missionary who had been seized by Jihadi terrorists in West Africa, which he characterized as the epicenter of Islamist terrorism with more deadly attacks in the past year than anywhere else on Earth.
Security Collapse Following Military Coup
Niger has descended into a terrorism hotspot since military officers overthrew the democratically elected government in 2023. The ruling junta subsequently expelled French and American military forces, compelling Western nations to abandon strategic positions including Air Base 101 in Niamey, according to US Africa Command.
The power vacuum has enabled Islamic terror groups to expand their operations dramatically. Both the ISIS-affiliated Islamic State Sahel Province and the al Qaeda-linked JNIM have strengthened their presence and capabilities across the region following the coup.
A 2025 Global Terrorism Index report documented a staggering increase in JNIM activity within Niger, noting an almost fourteenfold surge in fatalities that marked the highest number of deaths and attacks by the group in the country to date.
Missionary To Reunite With Family
SIM International expressed profound gratitude for the global prayer support that sustained Rideout’s family throughout the ordeal. The organization confirmed that he will soon be reunited with Krista, his children, and extended family members.
The missionary’s wife and relatives have thanked people around the world who prayed for his safe return, with particular appreciation for the support provided by the SIM community during the nine-month captivity.
The successful rescue adds to the Trump administration’s growing tally of Americans freed from foreign detention, a record the president has publicly emphasized as evidence of restored American strength on the world stage.
With information from New York Post
