PRAY: American Missionary Pilot Abducted Amid Jihadist Resurgence

A U.S. missionary remains unaccounted for after being snatched from his residence in Niger, a landlocked country in West Africa, in what authorities believe was a jihadist operation.

 

Last week, in the dead of night, Kevin Rideout was forcibly removed from his house in Niamey, the nation’s capital, and driven away in a Toyota Corolla by three gunmen suspected of having jihadist ties, multiple sources have confirmed.

 

Rideout serves as a pilot with the faith-based organization Serving in Mission. The abduction occurred mere steps from Niger’s presidential palace.

 

His cellphone’s final signal, detected six days prior, originated from a region known as a haven for factions linked to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.

 

Bryan Stern, who leads the nonprofit Grey Bull Rescue specializing in hostage crises, explained to Fox News Digital the complexities of such abductions. “In the majority of organized kidnappings, the initial captors aren’t the ones who end up holding the victim,” Stern noted. “The long-term holders tend to be more strategic, more skilled, and far less expendable… which is why rapid intervention can make a tangible difference.”

 

The State Department confirmed awareness of the incident in a statement: “We are monitoring reports of a U.S. citizen’s abduction in Niamey, Niger. Embassy personnel have been coordinating with local officials since the alert.”

 

A department spokesperson told the Associated Press that safeguarding Americans abroad is a key focus for the Trump administration, with interagency resources mobilized to facilitate the citizen’s safe recovery.

 

Just days before the kidnapping, the U.S. Embassy in Niamey released a warning highlighting elevated kidnapping risks for Americans across Niger, even in urban centers like the capital.

 

Niger has seen a surge in anti-Christian violence since the 2023 coup that installed General Abdourahamane Tiani, former presidential guard commander, after overthrowing elected leader Mohamed Bazoum.

 

The junta expelled Western allies, including U.S. forces stationed there, according to AP reporting.

 

Ulf Laessing, director of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Sahel initiative covering sub-Saharan issues, informed the wire service that deteriorating security has emboldened jihadists to resurrect a once-dormant kidnapping trade—initially aimed at tourists but now extending to humanitarian personnel.

 

Franklin Graham, head of Samaritan’s Purse, is calling on supporters to intercede for the missionary’s safety and swift, unharmed release.

 

In a separate case from April, U.S. missionary Josh Sullivan was taken in South Africa, demanded for ransom, and freed amid gunfire shortly after. Speaking to Fox News, he advocated not just for prayers seeking Rideout’s return, but for divine provision of additional workers in high-risk areas.

 

“Persecution against Christians is rampant globally. We must pray about it, and it should inspire more young people to step up as missionaries. Ask God to raise up laborers for the harvest worldwide. Dangerous regions still desperately need the message of Christ and His Gospel,” Sullivan said.

 

Open Doors ranks Niger as the 28th-riskiest nation for Christians in its 2025 World Watch List.

 

“Extremist Islamist elements have fueled ongoing assaults and abductions, severely curtailing Christians’ liberties and security,” the organization states.

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