Amid a diplomatic row with the Nigerian government, President Donald Trump has recalled the United States Ambassador to the country, Richard Mills, as part of a wide-ranging diplomatic reshuffle affecting several U.S. foreign missions across the globe.
According to The Guardian UK, the shake-up spans multiple regions, with Africa recording the highest number of affected countries. Nigeria is among at least 15 African nations whose ambassadors have been recalled. Others include Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, and Uganda.
The diplomatic changes also extend to the Asia-Pacific region, where envoys to Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam were recalled. In Europe, ambassadors to Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovakia were affected, while Guatemala and Suriname experienced similar changes in the Western Hemisphere.
Reports indicate that the affected chiefs of mission were notified last week that their postings would officially end in January.
Nigerian Newssphere recalls that Mills was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria in May. His recall comes amid strained relations between the United States and Nigeria, particularly over visa restrictions and security-related concerns.
Last week, Mills met with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to discuss bilateral cooperation. The meeting followed comments by U.S. Congressman Riley Moore, who stated that both countries were close to finalizing a strategic security framework to address terrorism in Nigeria.
U.S. State Department officials clarified that the recalled ambassadors are not being dismissed from the Foreign Service, noting that they will return to Washington and may be reassigned to other roles if they choose.
