# Release of American missionary in Niger > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/release-of-american-missionary-in-niger > Updated: 2026-08-24T18:35:53.000Z. Sources: 49. Developments: 3. Kevin Rideout, an American missionary and pilot for SIM International, has been released after being held captive for more than nine months. Rideout was abducted on October 21, 2025, by three armed individuals outside his home in Niamey, Niger. On August 14, 2026, SIM International confirmed Rideout’s release, stating he is in good health and in the care of U.S. officials. He was placed in FBI custody and traveled back to the United States to reunite with his wife, Krista, and their children. While his release has been celebrated by the missionary organization and U.S. President Donald Trump—who described Rideout as a “wonderful Christian Missionary”—the specific circumstances, location, and identity of the group responsible for his release remain unconfirmed by the State Department. Reports indicate that Rideout was held by an Islamic State affiliate in the Sahel region. By August 21, 2026, Rideout had officially reunited with his family. President Trump announced the reunion on Truth Social, noting that the missionary, who was reportedly taken by ISIS, had returned home. Deputy Assistant to the President Sebastian Gorka shared photos of the reunion. Rideout, who served as a missionary and pilot in Niger for 19 years, expressed significant gratitude to the administration following his return to U.S. custody. President Trump also indicated that the couple would be invited to the White House. On August 24, 2026, Rideout and his family met with President Trump at the White House. During a visit to the Oval Office, the President introduced the family to the administration’s hostage recovery team and emphasized his ‘America First’ policy. In a statement through SIM, Rideout and his wife expressed profound gratitude to the U.S. government, recovery teams, and the global Christian community. Despite the successful return, security concerns in the Sahel region persist. ## Claims - Kevin Rideout has been released after more than nine months of captivity. (disputed by 20 sources) - Rideout is in FBI custody. (disputed by 10 sources) - Rideout is in good health and is in the care of US officials. (corroborated by 22 sources) - Kevin Rideout was kidnapped from his home in Niamey on October 21, 2025. (corroborated by 21 sources) - Kevin Rideout is a pilot for the evangelical organization Serving in Mission (SIM). (corroborated by 20 sources) - Three armed individuals were involved in the abduction. (corroborated by 18 sources) - Rideout will soon be reunited with his wife, children, and extended family. (corroborated by 15 sources) - The specific circumstances and location of Rideout's release remain unknown. (corroborated by 13 sources) - An estimated $50 million ransom paid to free a hostage seized by al-Qaeda-linked militants in Mali in late 2025 has helped fund their advances across West Africa and the group’s global network, UN UN- (corroborated by 13 sources) - Three regional sources identified the United Arab Emirates as the country that made the ransom payment. (corroborated by 13 sources) - The ransom funds were distributed among fighters in the Sahel, al Qaeda in Yemen, and the group's core leadership. (corroborated by 13 sources) - Two additional hostages from Pakistan and Iran were freed, though no ransom details were provided for them. (corroborated by 13 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-24: Kevin Rideout meets President Trump at White House after Niger captivity Missionary pilot Kevin Rideout and his family met President Trump at the White House following his ten-month captivity by ISIS jihadists in Niger. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kevin-rideout-meets-president-trump-at-white-house-after-niger-captivity ### 2026-08-21: Kevin Rideout reunited with wife after release from Niger captivity American missionary Kevin Rideout has been reunited with his wife after being released from a nine-month captivity in Niger following his abduction in October 2025. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/american-missionary-kevin-rideout-freed-after-nine-months-in-niger ### 2026-08-14: Kevin Rideout released after nine months of captivity in Niger American missionary and pilot Kevin Rideout has been released after nine months of captivity in Niger. He is in good health and currently in U.S. custody following his October 2025 abduction in Niamey. 33 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kevin-rideout-american-missionary-pilot-kidnapped-in-niger-released --- Cite as: Release of American missionary in Niger. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/release-of-american-missionary-in-niger