NATION-WORLD

In Africa, U.S. Rep. Lynch cites need for improved security

Jessica Trufant
jtrufant@patriotledger.com

With some American embassies dating back to the 1960s, U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch says security officials plan to relocate several U.S. facilities in Africa in light of recent bombings in Nigeria by the extremist group Boko Haram, which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

In a phone interview Monday from Nigeria, the South Boston Democrat said U.S. security and counter-terrorism personnel are working with government officials in Nigeria and Zimbabwe to negotiate the relocation of State Department facilities.

“The embassy in Zimbabwe is inadequate. The consulate in Lagos, Nigeria is inadequate,” Lynch said. ‘We’re in the process of finding a new location for each one because they’re right on the street with no buffer zone, and a car bomb would pose a serious threat.”

Lynch is the ranking Democrat on the National Security Subcommittee and is traveling as part of a Congressional delegation led by Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz of Utah and Congressman Steve Russell of Oklahoma.

The delegation also visited South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe as part of an ongoing investigation into security in light of the terrorist attacks on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, in September of 2012.

Lynch was en route to Nigeria before the latest bombings in Maiduguri, Nigeria, killed more than 50 people on Saturday. The bombings have been attributed to Boko Haram, which Lynch called “a brutal regime.”

“They control an area the size of Belgium in the north, and they have a base of operations that’s not far from the (Nigerian) capitol of Abuja,” Lynch said. “They’re about 40 miles from N’Djamena, Chad, and we have an embassy there as well, so there’s immediate concern about safety of government employees.”

With Nigerian elections just two weeks away, Boko Haram last weekend pledged allegiance with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL.

Lynch said there has been a “disconnect” between U.S. efforts to help and the willingness of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to accept it.

“There have been some human rights and corruption concerns, and we’ve gone through a rough patch (with Nigeria) but I think they understand the immediacy of the threat,” Lynch said. “It’s too early to tell if the connection between Boko Haram and ISIL will be meaningful.”

The United States has committed $40 million during the last three years for equipment and training to Nigeria, Chad and other African nations to combat Boko Haram. U.S. Special Forces are also training African counter-terrorism troops.

Lynch’s visit to Nigeria was originally focused on embassy security and the plight of more than 275 schoolgirls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram almost a year ago. Lynch planned to meet with Bring Back Our Girls demonstrators on Wednesday to discuss what the United States can do to help locate the girls.

“They want help from the U.S. government, the U.S. Special Forces and whatever assets, drones and satellite imagery in hopes of locating their daughters,” he said.

Jessica Trufant may be reached at jtrufant@ledger.com.