American Pilot Held in Niger for Nine Months Is Free

Kevin Rideout, a 48-year-old American who flew planes for a missionary group called SIM International, was freed on August 14, 2026. He had been kidnapped in Niamey, Niger, on October 21, 2025. He is now with US officials, in good health, and headed home. Who held him — and how he was freed — has not been made public.