Reading their other comments, i think they are not using a real number/a number they don’t have access to, and signal is requiring to verify it/ “secure it” after the update. Thus, even tho the messages are stored locally they can’t access it without doing something with the number
Assuming their story is true.
How would logging in and giving them your number potentially restore them if they’re stored locally and are just gone?
Reading their other comments, i think they are not using a real number/a number they don’t have access to, and signal is requiring to verify it/ “secure it” after the update. Thus, even tho the messages are stored locally they can’t access it without doing something with the number