A Nigerian newspaper has reported that the NIgerian branch of a U.S. Muslim Brotherhood organization sits on an Islamic coordination council in that country. According to the report:
Forty one associations make up the DCCN [Da’wah Coordination Council of Nigeria].. Among these members are Abuja Muslim Forum, AMF, Abuja; Abu Sheriff Islamic Organization, Ilorin; Al-Amin Foundation, Kaduna; Council for Dwah and Welfare of Converts, Bauchi; Council of Ulama of Nigeria, CUN, Kano; El-Kanemi College of Islamic Theology, Maiduguri. Others are Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria, FOMWAN, Abuja; International Institute of Islamic Thought, IIIT, Kano; Islamic Foundation, Kano; Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria, IMAN, Minna; Muslim World League and World Assembly of Muslim Youth, WAMY, Lagos. The above is a partial listing of the associations that make up DCCN. The list illustrates the diversity and professional character of DCCN and provides an institutional portrait of Islamic intellectualism. The monograph titled, “The Boko Haram tragedy” is the summation of the conclusions of the meeting held at the Da’wah Institute of Nigeria, Islamic Education Trust, Minna between August 1 and 12, 2009 by DCCN group of about 40 men and women to discuss the “Boko Haram” crisis and tragedy that erupted at the end of July in some of the North-Eastern states of Nigeria, particularly Bauchi, Borno and Yobe…“Some of those in attendance were very well acquainted with the Boko Haram” movement and knew the late Muhammed Yusuf and some of his key followers personally. Others had been involved in dialogues and debates with Boko Haram members for some years and were well acquainted with the history, ideology activities and evolution of the group.
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The IIIT website lists contact information for its Nigerian affiliate headed by Bashir Galadanci. A 2010 Islamic conference website identifies Dr. Galadanci as the Minister of Science and Technology for Kano State. In October 2010, Nigerian media discussed a conference held by IIIT Nigeria at which the Kano State governor expressed his willingness to partner with IIIT in establishing an Islamic University:
It was in view of these challenges that the International Institute of Islamic Thought, Nigeria office, recently organised a three-day international conference and a one day summit on Islamic Universities in Kano with the theme: Islamic Universities; Prospects and Challenges. Declaring the conference open at Mambayya House, the Kano State Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, said his administration is ready to partner the IIIT on the establishment of Islamic university in Kano. Represented by the commissioner for science and technology, Dr Bashir Galadanci, who doubled as the Director, IIIT, Nigeria office, Shekarau said the four Islamic universities are inadequate for the teeming Nigerian Muslims. He commended the institute for convening the conference, saying it was a timely event.
According to a recent Hudson Institute report, IIIIT was founded in the U.S. in 1980 by U.S. Muslim Brotherhood leaders including Jamal Barzinji and Hisham Altalib who wished to promote the “Islamization of Knowledge” and who were also early leaders of ISNA. IIIT was associated with the now defunct SAAR Foundation, a network of Islamic organizations located in Northern Virginia that was raided by the Federal government in March 2002 in connection with the financing of terrorism and both organizations had been under investigation at that time by the U.S. Justice Department until at least mid 2007. The organization appeared to have withdrawn from public view following the 2002 raids but seems to be enjoying a renaissance of late. IIIT has a network of affiliates located in Europe, Africa, the MIddle East, and Asia. Although little is known about the activities of these IIIT affiliates, recent posts have discussed plans by IIIT to construct colleges in Bosnia and Lebanon.