Beyond WhatsApp: How Nigeria’s alleged coup plotters used secretive Zangi App to hide communications

Alleged participants in Nigeria’s 2025 coup plot communicated through Zangi — a lesser-known encrypted messaging application that stores no server-side communication history and requires no phone number for registration — with Army Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji reportedly introducing the platform specifically for its superior security over conventional calls.

As exclusively reported by Premium Times, a suspect identified as Mr Victor told investigators that Ma’aji directed him to download Zangi to communicate with him and Lieutenant Colonel Shamsuddeen Bappah of the Nigerian Army Signals Corps — both central figures in the alleged conspiracy to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Unlike WhatsApp, Zangi assigns users private numbers, enables default end-to-end encryption and stores communication history only on users’ devices — making physical device access critical to any investigation. Investigators reportedly used device forensics as a key tool in the probe.