Femi Ashekun/
President Donald Trump has recalled the United States ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., as part of a sweeping diplomatic reshuffle affecting nearly 30 ambassadors and senior embassy officials worldwide.
Officials at the US State Department said the decision formed part of a broader effort to realign American diplomatic representation with the administration’s “America First” foreign policy agenda.
Chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were notified last week that their tenures would formally end in January, according to an internal State Department memo.
The memo indicated that the affected diplomats may return to Washington for alternative assignments should they choose to remain in the foreign service.
It also noted that all those recalled had been appointed during the administration of Joe Biden and had initially survived an early round of changes under Trump’s second term, which largely affected political appointees.
The State Department described the move as a routine feature of any change in administration, stressing that ambassadors serve at the discretion of the president.
Its spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, said ambassadors were expected to reflect and advance the priorities of the sitting president.
“An ambassador is the personal representative of the president, and it is the president’s right to ensure that he has individuals in these countries who advance the America First agenda,” Bruce said.
The recall of the envoy to Nigeria has drawn particular attention because of the country’s strategic importance to the United States in West Africa, especially in the areas of regional security, trade and development cooperation.
The development has prompted concern among some US lawmakers and the American Foreign Service Association, which represents career diplomats.
Politico, which first reported the recalls, said Africa had been the region most affected.
Ambassadors from 13 African countries, including Nigeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Uganda, were among those informed of their removal.
Other affected postings span the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and the Western Hemisphere.
Bruce emphasised that the recalled diplomats were not being dismissed from service, adding that many could continue to work in other roles within the State Department.
She acknowledged, however, that the abrupt nature of the changes would require adjustments to embassy operations and ongoing diplomatic initiatives.
Before his recall, Mills had addressed growing concern in Nigeria over recent US visa restrictions, insisting that the measures were not designed to target Nigerians unfairly.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Sunday during a visit by a United States Congressional Delegation, he said the policy was rooted in security and integrity of the immigration system rather than punishment.
“The focus of the visa review is on ensuring proper vetting and credible information in the visa process, not on penalising Nigerians,” Mills said.
US authorities have previously explained that such visa reviews typically involve enhanced scrutiny of application data, identity verification and compliance with immigration rules, including concerns around overstays and document integrity.
The State Department has also maintained that visa policies are periodically adjusted worldwide to reflect evolving security assessments and to ensure reciprocity with partner countries.
Mills noted that Nigeria remained an important partner to the United States and said diplomatic engagement, including cooperation on security and people to people ties, would continue despite the tightening of visa procedures.
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