American Missionary Released from Niger | Sacramento News

Sacramento News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 14, 2026 · 1m

American missionary Kevin Rideout, kidnapped from his home in Niger 19 years after arriving as a pilot for SIM International, has been released and is now in U.S. care—healthy and expected to reunite with his family soon. His abduction by armed men in Niamey came amid Niger’s escalating security crisis, where extremist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS pose ongoing threats. The U.S. Embassy had issued warnings about kidnapping risks across the country. While no group claimed responsibility for his capture, his release coincides with Niger’s shifting alliances—recently aligning with Russia while…