US President Donald Trump has confirmed the release of American missionary Kevin Rideout, who spent more than nine months in captivity after being abducted in Niger.
Trump said Rideout had been reunited with his wife, Krista, and was preparing to return to the United States.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, the US President expressed delight over the missionary’s release and said he expected to welcome Rideout and his wife to the White House.
“I am happy to reveal that former hostage Kevin Rideout is getting ready to fly home to the United States after having been reunited with his beautiful wife, Krista,” Trump wrote.
He described Rideout’s release as the 110th case of an American captive being liberated since he began his second term as President.
“I look forward to seeing Kevin and Krista at the White House soon!” Trump added.
Rideout, a Christian missionary and pilot with SIM International, was abducted outside his residence in Niamey, the Nigerien capital, in October 2025.
The American missionary had spent 19 years working in Niger and served as a pilot for SIM International, a Christian organisation with operations in more than 70 countries.
Reports said three armed men seized Rideout before taking him to the Tillaberi region in western Niger, an area that has experienced significant militant activity.
SIM International confirmed that Rideout was in good health and under the care of US officials following his release.
However, authorities have not disclosed significant details about the circumstances surrounding his freedom, including the identity of those who abducted him or how negotiations for his release were conducted.
Rideout’s abduction had drawn attention from US authorities and missionary organisations, particularly because it occurred amid persistent insecurity and militant activity in parts of Niger and the wider Sahel region.
His release now clears the way for his return to the United States, where Trump said he hoped to meet him and his wife at the White House.
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