US President Donald Trump has recalled Richard Mills, the United States ambassador to Nigeria, as part of a broad diplomatic shake-up affecting American missions worldwide.
Gatekeepers News reports that more than two dozen countries are reportedly impacted, with Africa the hardest hit. Nigeria is among 15 African nations affected, alongside Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam were also affected. European missions in Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia, as well as Guatemala and Suriname in the western hemisphere, were included in the recall.
State Department officials told The Guardian UK that affected chiefs of mission were informed last week that their postings would end in January. Although all were appointed during the Joe Biden administration, they initially survived an early purge under Trump’s second term that targeted mainly political appointees.
That changed on Wednesday, when notices of their imminent departures were issued from Washington, DC. Ambassadors typically serve terms of three to four years.
Mills, who was confirmed as US ambassador to Nigeria in May, is being recalled amid strained US–Nigeria relations over visa issues and security concerns, even as both countries continue efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.
Just last week, Mills met with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to discuss areas of cooperation after US Congressman Riley Moore said both countries were close to reaching an agreement on a “strategic security framework” aimed at combating terrorism in Nigeria.
State Department officials said the recalled ambassadors are not losing their foreign service positions and may return to Washington for other assignments if they choose.
