Overview
- SIM International and U.S. officials confirmed Friday that Kevin Rideout has been released, is in U.S. custody, and is in good health as he is transported to the United States for reunification with his family.
- Rideout was kidnapped outside his home in Niamey, Niger, on October 21, 2025, when three armed individuals seized him and drove toward the Tillabéri region where Islamist militants operate.
- Officials and reporting say details about the location of his final detention, the identity of the group that held him at the end of his captivity, and the precise mechanics of his release remain unresolved and under investigation.
- The White House and U.S. Africa Command treated the case as a high priority and used intelligence, regional surveillance and partnered operations in the Sahel as part of efforts that U.S. officials say helped apply pressure on militant networks.
- Rideout is a long‑time missionary pilot with SIM who will be reunited with his wife and children, and his case highlights how Sahel instability, cross‑border militant activity and the withdrawal of some Western forces complicate tracking and securing hostages.