American missionary kidnapped in Niger freed after 9 months, Kash Patel confirms
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: American missionary Kevin Rideout is finally free after spending nearly nine months in captivity in Niger, bringing an end to a long ordeal that began with his abduction in October 2025.
The FBI confirmed on Friday, August 14, that Rideout had been recovered and was in the care of US officials, with plans for him to be reunited with his family.
Details surrounding his release remain closely guarded.
FBI is thrilled to join our partners confirming Kevin Rideout, the American missionary who was abducted by terrorists on October 21, 2025 in Niger, is now free.
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) August 14, 2026
He is in good care of U.S. officials and will soon be reunited with his family.
The FBI and our brilliant partners…
FBI confirms Kevin Rideout's safe recovery
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Rideout’s release in a post on X, saying the bureau was “thrilled” to confirm that the American missionary was safe.
Patel said Rideout had been abducted by armed individuals in Niger on October 21, 2025, and credited the FBI’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and other US agencies with working on the case since his disappearance.
“He is in good care of US officials and will soon be reunited with his family,” Patel said.
Patel also thanked officials involved in the effort, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, as well as other government partners.
He described the recovery as the result of months of work by the administration and its interagency partners.
Kevin Rideout is free! Thanks to the commitment of @POTUS and @SecRubio Kevin joins the more than 100 unjustly detained Americans who have returned home under this administration. We will not stop until every unjustly detained American is home.🇺🇸
— Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (@StateSPEHA) August 14, 2026
Rideout’s organization, Serving in Mission International, separately confirmed that he was in good health and under the care of US officials.
Kevin Rideout's ordeal in Niger
Rideout had spent about 19 years working as a missionary in Niger before he was abducted.
At the time, a security official said three armed men were involved and that Rideout was believed to have been taken out of the city after the abduction.
No group publicly claimed responsibility, and many details surrounding the kidnapping remained unclear during the months that followed.
🚨 JUST IN: President Trump just announced the RELEASE of a Christian missionary from Jihadi Islamist captors in West Africa
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 14, 2026
AMAZING NEWS 🙏🏻
Trump is getting prisoners freed left and right!
“I am proud to announce that Kevin Rideout, a wonderful Christian Missionary, is back… pic.twitter.com/WyBeOWBkqn
His release also came with little immediate information about exactly where he had been held, who had been holding him or how US authorities secured his freedom.
Trump celebrates Kevin Rideout's release
President Donald Trump also announced Rideout’s freedom Friday, saying he was “back in United States custody.”
Trump called Rideout a “wonderful Christian Missionary” and said he was proud to announce that the missionary was returning to US care.
“Kevin, the United States of America looks forward to welcoming you HOME,” Trump wrote, adding that he was “Glad to have helped!”
The administration had made Rideout’s case a priority as it worked to address the deteriorating security environment in Niger and the wider Sahel region.
