Niamey – October 22, 2025
The Nigerien capital woke up in shock early this morning after an American citizen was kidnapped from the Château 1 neighborhood—just a few hundred meters from the presidential palace where General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the ruling military junta, resides. The operation, carried out with alarming precision in one of Niamey’s most heavily guarded areas, has raised serious questions about the junta’s ability to maintain control even over its own capital.
Local sources suggest that the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) may be behind the kidnapping, noting its growing presence around Tillabéri and the outskirts of Niamey in recent months. If confirmed, this would mark a dramatic escalation—proof that armed groups are now capable of striking at the very heart of Niger’s political power.
Since the July 2023 coup, General Tiani and his military council have repeatedly promised to “restore security and stability.” Two years on, the results are catastrophic: continuous attacks, paralyzed transport routes, collapsing border security, demoralized garrisons, and now the abduction of a foreign national just steps from the presidential compound.
This kidnapping is more than a security breach—it symbolizes the near-total erosion of state authority. When an American can be abducted in Niamey’s presidential district, it sends a chilling message: no one is safe—not diplomats, not foreign workers, and not Nigerien citizens.
The junta, preoccupied with consolidating its political control, appears to have lost the battle against insecurity. As state institutions crumble, the credibility of the Nigerien government itself is evaporating. What was once a strategic partner in the fight against extremism in the Sahel has now become a nation on the brink of ungovernability.
American Missionary Pilot Kidnapped in Niamey Identified as Kevin Rideout
The identity of the American kidnapped last night in Niamey has been confirmed as Mr. Kevin Rideout, a missionary pilot working for the American faith-based NGO SIM International through MFG. He is dedicated to training missionary aviation pilots serving evangelical, medical, church-planting ministries, as well as humanitarian emergency air transport. According to our information, he has been operating in Niger since 2010. Based on the initial findings of the investigation, the kidnappers reportedly headed toward the Tillabéri region.
