• Digital Communications in the Probe: Military investigators probing the alleged 2025 plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration have uncovered that suspects used WhatsApp and a privacy-centric app named Zangi to coordinate.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• • Features of Zangi: While WhatsApp is ubiquitous in Nigeria, Zangi is a lesser-known platform boasting end-to-end encryption, on-device message storage rather than server storage, and registration using private Zangi numbers instead of mobile phone numbers.

  • Defendant’s Account: Retired Navy Captain Erasmus Victor, who is facing a 13-count treason charge alongside five others at the Federal High Court in Abuja, revealed in an extrajudicial statement that Army Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji introduced him to Zangi for secure communication. Victor admitted to downloading the app to communicate with Ma’aji and Lt. Col. Shamsuddeen Bappah, but denied joining the conspiracy.

  • Allegations and Denials: Investigators alleged Victor was tasked with securing financial support from potential backers, including FCT Minister Nyesom Wike (whom Victor previously served under as local government chairman), but Victor stated he never reached out to Wike or others, dismissing the plot initially while regretting not reporting it.

  • Evidence and Legal Challenges: Thousands of pages of evidence—including printouts of electronic messages, financial records, meetings, and witness statements—have been gathered since the plot’s discovery in September 2025. While end-to-end encryption secures data in transit, investigators can still recover digital trails from devices depending on settings. Meanwhile, defendants are challenging the admissibility of their extrajudicial statements, claiming legal safeguards were ignored, a move the prosecution is opposing.

Jorge Messi, the father of Argentina icon Lionel Messi, has passed away in Rosario at the age of 68 following a period of health complications and ongoing medical treatment.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission’s (ICPC) interim report on the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), labeling it as predictable and a superficial attempt at damage control.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a statement released on Saturday by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party asserted that the report glosses over critical questions. Specifically, it failed to clarify how the disputed agency managed to acquire office space in the Federal Secretariat, recruit civil servants, gain official recognition, and secure a reported ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 federal budget.

Reiterating its initial stance, the ADC noted that it had previously advocated for an independent panel rather than an ICPC-led investigation. The party argued that the interim findings seem designed to shield government officials rather than uncover the full scope of how the council infiltrated state machinery.

Key Demands and Criticisms from the ADC:

• Beyond a Single Culprit: The party criticized the recommendation to prosecute the alleged Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, pointing out that an open-ended investigation should not prematurely narrow the blame onto one individual, especially after reports surfaced linking the same suspect to two other fictitious organizations.

• The “Open Doors” Paradox: While a forged document might explain initial entry, the ADC emphasized it cannot account for how the operation seamlessly advanced through multiple high-level government layers to secure vehicles, official backing, and institutional support.

• Budgetary Accountability: Highlighting the controversial ₦1.3 billion budgetary provision, the party stressed that public funds do not materialize by coincidence and demanded accountability regarding who proposed, processed, and verified the allocation.

Welcoming the ongoing legislative inquiry by the House of Representatives, the ADC urged the ICPC to release its full interim findings and hold any negligent public officials accountable.

“What has happened is a national disgrace in the full glare of the entire world,” the statement concluded, insisting that investigators follow the evidence wherever it leads rather than settling for a single scapegoat.