NIAMEY, Niger , 23 October (H.S.): An American missionary was kidnapped from his home in Niger’s capital on Tuesday night, with security sources indicating he was taken by unidentified gunmen just meters from the presidential palace where the country’s ousted president is being held.

The U.S. State Department has confirmed it is aware of the reports and is working with local authorities to secure the man’s safe return.The missionary, identified as a pilot for the evangelical organization Serving in Mission (SIM), has reportedly lived in Niger since 2010.

According to security sources, three armed assailants abducted him as he was preparing to leave for the airpory. While no group has claimed responsibility, the man’s phone was tracked to a location approximately 56 miles north of Niamey, an area considered a stronghold for groups affiliated with the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS).

The brazen abduction occurred in the highly secured Plateau district of Niamey, highlighting the deteriorating security situation in the West African nation following the July 2023 military coup that overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

Before the coup, Niger was seen as a key Western ally and a linchpin of stability in the Sahel, a region beset by jihadist insurgencies.The U.S. Embassy in Niamey has since restricted all personnel to travel in armored vehicles and declared all restaurants and open-air markets off-limits.

This kidnapping is the latest in a series of abductions targeting foreign nationals in Niger this year.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar