US Missionary Pilot Abducted By Islamic State Militants

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

NIAMEY (Worthy News) – American evangelist Franklin Graham urged prayers Friday after “a missionary pilot” with the evangelical Christian organization Serving in Mission (SIM) was abducted in the West African nation of Niger.

“It is being reported that he was taken north to areas controlled by an offshoot of ISIS,” also known as Islamic State, Graham said. “Would you pray for his protection and that he will be released unharmed and able to come home?”

The U.S. State Department confirmed the kidnapping, saying it is “aware of reports of the kidnapping of a U.S. citizen in Niamey, Niger.” A spokesperson added that embassy officials are “working with local authorities” and that “the safety of every American is a top priority.”

Security sources said the American was seized overnight Tuesday into Wednesday by three armed men in a Toyota Corolla while in the capital, Niamey, and was likely driven out of town.

No group has claimed responsibility, but Nigerien officials suspect Islamic State–linked militants may be involved. The investigation continues.

Several media outlets — including Crosswalk, Long War Journal, and Baptist Press — identified the missionary as Kevin Rideout, a pilot with SIM International. However, U.S. and Nigerien authorities have not yet publicly confirmed his identity.

THOUSANDS OF WORKERS

SIM International, which operates in over 70 countries with roughly 4,000 workers, describes its mission as taking the gospel “to places where there are few or no Christians.”

While the abducted pilot’s identity remains officially unconfirmed, Franklin Graham and Christian supporters worldwide have called for prayer.

The U.S. government says it continues to work with Nigerien authorities to secure the missionary’s safe return.

Following the abduction, the U.S. Embassy in Niamey issued a nationwide security alert on October 22, warning that “American citizens remain at a heightened risk of kidnapping throughout Niger, including in the capital city.”

The embassy temporarily restricted staff movements, required armored vehicles for travel, and instituted a curfew.

GROWING KIDNAPPINGS WAVE

The incident is the latest in a series of kidnappings in Niger’s unstable Sahel region. In April, Swiss aid worker Claudia Abbt, 67, was abducted in Agadez, three months after the kidnapping of Austrian citizen Eva Gretzmacher, 73, in the same area. Neither has been released.

Security analyst Ulf Laessing of Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation said “security has worsened in Niger in recent months,” adding that jihadists have revived “a kidnapping business” that increasingly targets humanitarian and Christian workers.

Persecution watchdog Open Doors ranks Niger 28th on its 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe oppression.

The group reports that the presence of radical Islamist factions has led to “frequent attacks and kidnappings, significantly limiting the freedom and safety of Christians.”

Churches, schools, and health facilities have also come under attack.

Niger’s military junta, which seized power in 2023, has expelled U.S. and French forces and turned to Russian security partners. Islamist insurgencies across the Sahel have killed thousands and displaced millions over the past decade.

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