American missionary kidnapped in Niger is freed

American missionary Kevin Rideout has been released months after he was kidnapped in Niger’s capital, the Christian organization he works for said Friday, ending a captivity that began with an armed abduction near one of the country’s most sensitive government sites.

SIM International, a South Carolina-based Christian group, said Rideout “is in good health in the care of U.S. officials.” The organization said he “will soon be reunited with Krista, his children, and his extended family.”

“Krista and the rest of Kevin’s family are profoundly grateful for the prayers offered on their behalf by people around the world throughout his captivity, and in particular for the deep level of prayer and support offered by our SIM family,” the group said in a statement.

SIM International did not provide details on how or where Rideout was freed, and there was no immediate word on what led to his release. NPR reported that the U.S. State Department had not yet confirmed the release. CBS News said it had contacted the State Department, White House and Pentagon for comment.

Rideout was abducted Oct. 21 in Niamey, the capital of Niger. SIM International said he was taken from outside his home. A security official said at the time that three armed people seized him and that he was probably driven out of town. No armed group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

Multiple security sources told CBS News after the abduction that it happened about 100 yards from the presidential palace in Niamey, where ousted President Mohamed Bazoum had been held since he was toppled in a July 2023 coup. The coup brought Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani to power, and his military junta pledged to restore security.

Niger has long faced violence by armed groups, including jihadists linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. A day after Rideout’s kidnapping, the U.S. Embassy in Niamey issued a security alert warning that American citizens “remain at a heightened risk of kidnapping throughout Niger, including in the capital city.”

The country has shifted politically since the 2023 military takeover. NPR reported that Niger has become increasingly anti-Western since the coup that overthrew the democratically elected government. Under the junta, Niger’s leaders pushed out Western partners, including the United States, which had soldiers in the country, and formed a new security and diplomatic alliance with Russia.

In 2024, at the junta’s request, the United States completed the withdrawal of hundreds of troops from an airbase in Niger that had supported counterterrorism operations, NPR reported. This year, the U.S. government announced it had donated $2.3 million in military equipment to Niger after “both sides reaffirmed a shared commitment to security cooperation.”

“This assistance reflects our shared interest in countering terrorism, combating kidnapping for ransom, disrupting criminal networks, and strengthening regional security,” the U.S. Embassy in Niger said in May. “It advances United States national security interests by helping a partner in the Sahel defend its territory, secure its borders, and reduce threats that can affect our respective nations.”

Niger has also seen attacks in urban areas. In June, more than 30 people were killed when gunmen attacked the main airport in Niamey, CBS News reported. It was the second attack this year at the airport, a strategic hub that serves as the ruling military’s command center, hosts its air force base and most of its drones and aircraft, and houses the headquarters of the regional alliance that includes troops from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The New York Times, which first reported Rideout’s release, said the 50-year-old had worked as a missionary in Niger for 19 years and was a pilot for SIM International. The group describes itself as “an evangelical mission agency, working with churches around the world” with teams in more than 70 countries.