OAN Staff Sophia Flores and Brooke Mallory
12:37 PM – Friday, August 14, 2026
An American missionary abducted during a trip to Niger has been released after more than nine months in captivity.
Kevin Rideout, 50, who works with the Christian missionary organization SIM International, was seized by gunmen on October 21, 2025, outside his home in the capital city of Niamey.
The organization has since confirmed that he is currently in good health and has been safely placed into the care of U.S. officials.
“We are grateful to confirm that our good friend and brother in Christ, Kevin Rideout, has been released after over nine months in captivity,” SIM International said in a statement.
“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 organization continued.
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to celebrate Rideout’s return to the United States, saying “the United States of America looks forward to welcoming you HOME.”
The exact mechanics of Rideout’s release have not been fully made public, but officials have provided some context regarding how he came to be in U.S. custody.
According to U.S. officials, his release was secured “by other means” rather than through a military raid or rescue mission. Officials linked his release to ongoing U.S. pressure on regional terrorist networks.
Specifically, military operations against senior Islamic State leaders in the broader Sahel region are believed to have pushed the captors to relinquish him.
The U.S. State Department, U.S. Africa Command, and the FBI treated Rideout’s case as a high-priority effort, coordinating behind the scenes until he was safely handed over into U.S. custody, according to the Washington Examiner.
Since no group officially claimed responsibility for his initial abduction, specific details regarding negotiators or conditions behind the transfer remain undisclosed.
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