iDeemlawfulUS President Donald Trump has recalled Richard Mills, the United States ambassador to Nigeria, in what appears to be a broad diplomatic reshuffle affecting American missions worldwide.
Reports indicate that more than two dozen countries are involved, with Africa emerging as the most affected continent.
Nigeria is among 15 African nations whose envoys were recalled. The others are Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, the affected countries include Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam.
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In Europe, Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia were impacted, while Guatemala and Suriname were affected in the western hemisphere.
Officials of the US State Department told Guardian UK that heads of mission were notified last week that their assignments would conclude in January.
All the ambassadors assumed office during the administration of former President Joe Biden but had initially remained in place after an early purge in the opening months of Trump’s second term that largely targeted political appointees.
That situation shifted on Wednesday, when the envoys reportedly began receiving formal notices from officials in Washington DC regarding their impending recall.
Typically, ambassadors serve between three and four years in their postings.
Mills was confirmed as the US ambassador to Nigeria in May last year.
His recall comes at a time of strained relations between the United States and Nigeria over visa disputes and security-related concerns.
It also coincides with ongoing efforts by both countries to deepen cooperation and strengthen bilateral ties.
Only last week, Mills held talks with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, on areas of partnership, following remarks by Congressman Riley Moore that both countries were nearing an agreement on a “strategic security framework” to address terrorism in the West African nation.
State Department officials clarified that the recalled ambassadors are not being dismissed from the foreign service but will return to Washington for alternative assignments if they choose to accept them.