The night of October 21-22, 2025, was marked by a serious security incident in Niamey: the kidnapping of an American national. This 48-year-old pilot, working for the humanitarian NGO Serving In Mission (SIM) since 2010 in Niger, was forcibly taken by three unidentified armed men from his home in the secure Château 1 neighborhood, near the Bravia Hotel and the presidential palace.

According to media reports, this is the first kidnapping of a foreigner in the Nigerien capital since 2011. The pilot was providing emergency humanitarian air transport services for SIM International, an organization active in the Sahel. The NGO confirmed the incident, highlighting the deteriorating security situation in the region.

The U.S. Embassy in Niamey, through the State Department, said it was working closely with Nigerien authorities to secure his release. Security forces began searching for him on October 22, but no claim of responsibility has been made to date. This kidnapping in a highly secure urban area illustrates the spread of threats beyond rural and border areas.

A Welcomed Release after 16 Months of Detention

Alongside this worrying event, a note of hope came on October 22, 2025, with the release of Commander Amadou Torda, former prefect of the Bilma department, as well as four of his companions (two gendarmes and two National Guard soldiers). This group had been kidnapped more than 16 months ago, on June 21, 2024, as they were returning to Bilma, in the Agadez region (northeast).

Their abduction, attributed at the time to an unidentified armed group, triggered a massive search operation by Nigerien defense and security forces. While the release of the five men brings significant relief to the local community, it comes amid ongoing insecurity in this part of the northeast of the country.

The Nigerien Security Challenge

These two situations highlight the seriousness of the security crisis in Niger. They demonstrate the persistent risk of kidnapping, targeting both foreign nationals (particularly humanitarian workers) and government officials. The kidnapping in Niamey demonstrates that insecurity is spreading even to the most protected areas, while the release of the Bilma hostages, while positive, highlights the slow pace of response processes and the challenges of reintegration for these personnel after such a long period of captivity.

Faced with the increasing complexity of the operational context for NGOs and the increase in incidents, the Nigerien state is facing major challenges in securing its vast borders and protecting civilians and humanitarian personnel.