Tension as Trump Orders Immediate Recall of US Ambassador to Nigeria, Details Emerge
- US President Trump recalls the US ambassador to Nigeria amid a the diplomatic shake-up across global missions
- Nigeria is among the 15 African countries experiencing ambassador recall as the its US reassesses diplomatic presence
- The State Department confirms that recalled ambassadors may receive new assignments in Washington, maintaining their U.S.foreign service careers
The United States President, Donald Trump, has ordered the recall of Richard Mills, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, in what is being described as a major reshuffle of U.S. diplomatic postings worldwide.
The move is part of a broader recall affecting over two dozen countries, with Africa reportedly the most impacted continent.
Source: UGC
Nigeria among 15 African countries affected
Nigeria is one of 15 African nations to have had its ambassadors recalled, alongside Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, and Uganda.
In addition, several Asia-Pacific countries, including Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as European countries like Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia, have seen changes. Guatemala and Suriname were affected in the Western Hemisphere.
Chiefs of mission informed of tenure endings
According to State Department officials who spoke to the Guardian UK, the affected ambassadors were notified last week that their tenures would end in January.
“These are career diplomats and political appointees who began their posts under the Biden administration and had survived an earlier purge. They are being given the opportunity to return to Washington for reassignment," a source said.
Ambassador Mills confirmed last May
Richard Mills was confirmed as US ambassador to Nigeria in May 2025. His recall comes amid tense US-Nigeria relations over visa issues and security concerns.
Source: Twitter
Mills had recently met with Nigeria’s minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to discuss bilateral cooperation and initiatives aimed at strengthening the US-Nigeria partnership.
Congressman Riley Moore had said that both countries were close to a “strategic security framework” to tackle terrorism in West Africa.
Recalled ambassadors not losing foreign service jobs
State Department officials emphasised that the recalled ambassadors are not being dismissed from the foreign service.
“They may return to Washington for other assignments if they wish,” the officials said.
The recall underscores a broader diplomatic reshuffle under President Trump, signalling potential changes in US foreign policy priorities and engagement strategies in Africa and other regions.
Nigeria: Killings won't be ignored, says US
Recall that there were fresh concerns over violence against civilians in Nigeria, which continued on Wednesday as the United States House Appropriations Committee restated Washington’s resolve to confront religious persecution around the world.
The committee issued the position in a short message on its official X account. It said America would not turn away from reports of deadly attacks.
Trump pauses immigration applications for 19 countries
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Trump administration announced that it was pausing all immigration applications, including green card requests, for people from 19 countries already subject to travel bans earlier this year.
The decision was outlined in a policy memo posted Tuesday on the website of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency responsible for processing immigration benefits.
According to AP, officials said the pause would affect a wide range of immigration-related decisions, including naturalisations and green card applications. The memo stated that it would be up to USCIS director Joseph Edlow to decide when the pause would be lifted.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
