Coup Probe: Suspects Allegedly Used Zangi, WhatsApp To Coordinate Communications

Military investigations into the alleged September 2025 coup plot have revealed claims that some of the suspects used WhatsApp and the encrypted messaging application Zangi to communicate with one another.

According to Ireporter Online, documents reportedly compiled by military investigators and presented as part of the evidence in the ongoing court proceedings indicate that electronic communications are among the materials being examined to establish the alleged roles of individuals connected to the case.

Zangi, which is less widely used in Nigeria than WhatsApp, promotes privacy-focused communication and offers end-to-end encryption. The application also allows users to create accounts without necessarily providing a conventional mobile phone number.

One of the defendants, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Victor, reportedly told investigators that Army Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji introduced him to Zangi as an alternative means of 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.

Victor, who is standing trial alongside five other defendants at the Federal High Court in Abuja on 13 counts, including treason, has denied involvement in any plan to overthrow the government.

According to the investigation records, Victor was allegedly asked to approach potential financiers and individuals who could support the purported plan. One of the people he was allegedly expected to contact was FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, whom Victor knew from his time as chairman of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area in Rivers State.

Victor, however, reportedly told investigators that he never approached Wike or the other individuals he was allegedly directed to contact. He also maintained that he did not consider the discussions surrounding the alleged plot to be serious, although he expressed regret over not reporting the information to security authorities.

Investigators have reportedly gathered numerous electronic messages and other digital records allegedly exchanged among some of the individuals being investigated. The materials form part of a wider body of evidence assembled following the discovery of the alleged conspiracy in September 2025.

Although encrypted messaging platforms are designed to protect communications from unauthorised access during transmission, encryption does not necessarily mean that all information associated with such communications is inaccessible. Investigators may, subject to applicable legal procedures, examine devices and other digital records for messages, contacts and related information.

The electronic evidence is being considered alongside other materials, including financial transactions, meetings, movements and witness accounts, as authorities seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged plot.

Several military personnel are also 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 challenged the admissibility of statements attributed to them, arguing that the statements were obtained without following required legal safeguards. The prosecution has opposed the objections and maintained that the statements were lawfully obtained.

The court proceedings and military investigations are ongoing, with the allegations yet to be finally determined by the courts.