The United States President, Donald Trump, has ordered the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, to return home.
Mills, who was only confirmed as the US ambassador to Nigeria last May, is among a host of other recalled envoys in what appears to be a diplomatic shake-up by the Trump administration.
At least 24 countries on different continents were affected by America’s decision to recall some of its envoys.
Themomentng understands that up to 15 countries on the African continent, including Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda, had their envoys also withdrawn.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam were affected.
In Europe, Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia were impacted while Guatemala and Suriname experienced the changes in the western hemisphere.
State Department officials told Guardian UK that the chiefs of mission were informed last week that their tenures would end in January.
The Ambassadors had been deployed during the administration of Joe Biden but had retained their positions under the Trump administration until the fresh directive emerged.
It is understood that the affected envoys have begun receiving notices from Washington, DC, regarding their imminent departures.
Envoys typically remain at their posts for between three and four years.
