US missionary pilot kidnapped in Niger freed after nine months Africa 19 min ago

The Times also said Rideout was in good health, based on proof-of-life images that were provided to American officials in the past 48 hours, citing one US official.

Kevin Rideout, an American missionary pilot who was kidnapped in Niger's capital, Niamey, in October last year, has been released and is in US hands, according to the Christian organisation Rideout worked for.

Reuters later reported in March that the US was pushing to resume intelligence gathering in neighbouring Mali, partly driven by a desire to find the kidnapped missionary, who at the time was believed to be held in Mali by the local al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).