The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has reportedly ordered the recall of the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, as part of a broader diplomatic reshuffle.
Mills, who was confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Nigeria in May last year, is among several envoys affected by what appears to be a sweeping reorganisation of America’s diplomatic missions under the Trump administration.
Reports indicate that no fewer than 24 countries across multiple continents have been impacted by the decision to withdraw selected ambassadors.
Across Africa, at least 15 countries were affected, including Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda.
In the Asia-Pacific region, countries impacted by the recall include Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Several European nations were also affected, namely Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia, while Guatemala and Suriname were impacted in the western hemisphere.
According to officials at the U.S. State Department who spoke with The Guardian UK, the affected chiefs of mission were notified last week that their assignments would formally end in January.
Many of the recalled ambassadors were originally appointed during the administration of former President Joe Biden but had remained in their roles under President Trump until the latest directive was issued.
Sources further revealed that the affected envoys have begun receiving official notices from Washington, D.C., regarding their imminent departure. Typically, U.S. ambassadors serve terms lasting between three and four years.