The kidnapped man is a pilot for an evangelical organisation, a diplomatic supply says.
Printed On 22 Oct 2025
A US missionary working for an evangelical Christian organisation has been kidnapped in Niger’s capital Niamey, the US State Division has mentioned, within the newest kidnapping of a overseas nationwide within the nation.
The US State Division confirmed the kidnapping to the AFP information company on Wednesday, saying its embassy in Niamey was doing what it might to safe the person’s protected launch.
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The sufferer, a person in his 50s, was seized on Tuesday night time and was “already en route for the border with Mali”, a diplomatic supply advised AFP.
The Reuters information company, citing one other diplomat talking on situation of anonymity, mentioned the person was a pilot for the evangelical organisation Serving in Mission (SIM).
SIM describes itself on its web site as a “international mission household of greater than 4,000 individuals, serving in additional than 70 nations”, whose focus is on “taking the gospel to locations the place there are not any, or only a few, Christians”.
The diplomat mentioned the sufferer was kidnapped by three unidentified males in Niamey’s Plateau neighbourhood as he was heading for the airport. The group then headed for Niger’s western Tillaberi area, the place armed fighters linked to ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda are recognized to function.
In a submit on X, Wamaps, a collective of journalists in West Africa, mentioned the kidnapped man had been working in Niger since 2010, and had been kidnapped only a few streets away from the presidential palace in central Niamey. It mentioned no group had but claimed accountability for the kidnapping or claimed a ransom.
String of kidnappings
The kidnapping is the newest in a spate of kidnappings this yr in Niger, a rustic that has been battling armed teams linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL for years. Safety threats ramped up after the army toppled the nation’s democratically elected authorities in July 2023.
In April, 67-year-old Swiss lady Claudia Abbt was kidnapped within the northern city of Agadez, three months after the abduction of Austrian Eva Gretzmacher, 73, in the identical metropolis. Neither has been launched.
ISIL was thought-about answerable for the kidnappings, carried out by native felony teams on its behalf, AFP reported, citing observers of armed teams within the area.
In accordance with Wamaps, different abductions of overseas nationals this yr have included 4 Moroccan truck drivers in January, two Chinese language petroleum firm employees in February, and 5 Indian energy firm technicians in April.
Niger is one in all a number of West African nations battling armed battle that has spread from Mali and Burkina Faso over the previous 12 years, killing 1000’s of individuals and uprooting thousands and thousands.
Following Niger’s 2023 army coup, US and French forces that had been concerned within the struggle in opposition to armed violence within the area had been expelled from Niger, because the nation turned to Russian mercenaries in an effort to take care of stability.
In Might, Normal Michael Langley, the previous head of the US Africa Command, mentioned that the withdrawal had eliminated the US army’s “capacity to watch these terrorist teams intently, however [we] proceed to liaison with companions to supply what help we are able to”.
