Military investigations into the alleged September 2025 plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration have revealed that some of the suspects allegedly used WhatsApp and the privacy-focused messaging application, Zangi, to communicate.
Documents reportedly compiled by military investigators and submitted as part of the evidence in the ongoing court proceedings indicate that electronic communications are being examined as investigators attempt to establish the alleged roles of the various suspects.
Zangi, which is less widely used in Nigeria than WhatsApp, markets itself as a privacy-oriented messaging platform. The application says its communications are protected with end-to-end encryption and that users’ communication histories are stored on their devices rather than on its servers.
The platform also allows users to register without using a conventional mobile phone number, with users instead assigned a private Zangi number.
One of the defendants, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Victor, reportedly told investigators how Zangi became part of communications involving individuals allegedly connected to the purported coup plot.
Victor is standing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja alongside five other defendants on 13 charges, including treason.
According to an extrajudicial statement attributed to him and obtained by Premium Times, Victor told investigators that Army Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji introduced him to Zangi because he considered the application more secure than ordinary telephone communication.
Victor allegedly said he downloaded the application to communicate with Ma’aji and Lieutenant Colonel Shamsuddeen Bappah, an officer of the Nigerian Army Signals Corps whose name also appeared in the investigation.
The retired naval officer, however, denied involvement in any plan to overthrow the government.
Investigators alleged that Victor was tasked with contacting potential financiers and seeking their support for the alleged plan. One of the individuals he was reportedly expected to approach was Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
Victor, who served as chairman of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State from 2018 to 2021 while Wike was governor, reportedly told investigators that he never contacted the minister or the other individuals he was allegedly instructed to approach.
He maintained that he did not regard the discussions surrounding the purported coup as serious, although he reportedly expressed regret that he did not alert the relevant authorities about what he knew.
As part of their investigation, authorities reportedly obtained and compiled printouts of electronic messages allegedly exchanged between some of the suspects. The messages form part of thousands of pages of documents assembled after the alleged conspiracy was uncovered in September 2025.
The use of an encrypted messaging platform, however, does not automatically mean that communications cannot be recovered or examined by investigators.
While end-to-end encryption is designed to prevent unauthorised access to messages during transmission, information connected to communications may still be present on users’ devices, depending on the application, device configuration and other circumstances.
Investigators examining seized devices may therefore search for messages, contacts, files and other digital records in accordance with applicable legal procedures.
Beyond electronic communications, investigators are also examining other forms of evidence, including financial transactions, meetings, movements and witness statements, in an effort to establish alleged links between the individuals accused of involvement.
The communication records could become important to the prosecution if they are considered alongside other evidence presented before the courts.
Several military personnel linked to the investigation are facing proceedings before a General Court Martial, while Victor and five other defendants are being prosecuted before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The defendants have denied the allegations and are challenging the admissibility of statements attributed to them outside court.
They have argued that the statements were obtained without following required legal safeguards and should therefore not be admitted as evidence.
The prosecution has rejected the objections, insisting that the statements were obtained lawfully and should be admitted by the court.
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