Kevin Rideout Becomes ‘110th Captive American Liberated’, Set To Return Home After 9 Months

NKevin Rideout, the American missionary abducted in Niger more than nine months ago, is preparing to return to the United States after being released from captivity, President Donald Trump said. Rideout, a missionary pilot with SIM International, was reunited with his wife, Krista, and is expected to return home to his children and extended family.

Trump announced the development on Sunday, saying Rideout was now preparing to fly back to the US. The president said his return marked the “110th captive American liberated” since he began his second term and said he looked forward to welcoming Rideout and his wife to the White House.

Kevin Rideout Released After Nine Months

SIM International had earlier confirmed that Rideout was released after more than nine months in captivity. The organisation said the American was placed in the care of US officials and was in good health following his release.

“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 said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. The organisation added that Rideout would soon be reunited with Krista, his children and other members of his family.

Rideout was kidnapped on October 21, 2025, near his home in Niamey, Niger’s capital, according to SIM International. The Washington Post previously reported that he was abducted around 150 feet from Niger’s presidential palace, underscoring the security risks surrounding the incident.

Trump had first acknowledged Rideout’s release on Friday, saying the missionary was back in US custody. He described the abductors as “Jihadi terrorists”, although no group has publicly been identified as responsible for the kidnapping.

Niger’s Growing Islamist Threat

The identity of Rideout’s captors remains unclear from the information released so far. Analysts cited in earlier reporting have suggested that the abduction could be connected to Islamist militant groups operating in the region, where organisations affiliated with both Islamic State and al Qaeda have expanded their presence.

Niger has faced a deteriorating security situation since a military coup in 2023. Following the takeover, French and US military personnel were expelled, while the United States subsequently abandoned Air Base 101 in Niamey, according to US Africa Command.

Two major militant networks, the Islamic State Sahel Province and the al Qaeda-linked JNIM, have increased their activity across the region. The 2025 Global Terrorism Index reported a sharp rise in JNIM activity in Niger, describing an almost fourteenfold increase in fatalities and recording the highest number of attacks and deaths attributed to the group in the country at that point.