An American missionary pilot was abducted late Tuesday night in Niamey, Niger’s capital, just yards from the heavily guarded presidential palace, multiple security sources confirmed to CBS News.
The victim, who has lived in Niger since 2010 working with the U.S.-based evangelical group Serving in Mission, was reportedly attacked by three armed men at his home in the Plateau district—one of the city’s most secure neighborhoods. His security guard was subdued before the kidnappers fled with him in a vehicle.
Officials said the victim’s phone was later traced to an area about 56 miles north of Niamey, known as a haven for Islamic State–linked militants operating along Niger’s borders with Mali and Burkina Faso. No group has claimed responsibility, and both Nigerien authorities and the U.S. Embassy have yet to issue official statements.
The abduction comes amid rising instability following General Abdourahamane Tiani’s 2023 coup, which ousted President Mohamed Bazoum still reportedly confined within the palace complex. Analysts suspect the kidnapping may have been carried out by Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) fighters, who have staged multiple attacks across the Sahel region.
Despite heavy military presence, Niamey remains vulnerable due to its proximity to conflict zones in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso.
