Across Nigeria, families are being torn apart as DNA revelations expose infidelity, betrayal, and hidden truths.
When Emeka (not his real name) met Juliet Oberu in 2015, he believed he had found love and the beginnings of a warm family life. Just months into the relationship, Juliet announced she was pregnant. For Emeka, it was pure joy — his first step into fatherhood. He welcomed her into his modest Ughelli home, cared for her through pregnancy, and embraced every moment until their son was born.
From sleepless nights to scraped knees, Emeka loved the boy as his own flesh and blood. Over the years, the family grew to include two daughters, and he prided himself on providing and nurturing them. But by 2023, suspicions crept in — strange glances, hushed whispers, and even his mother’s troubling dream planted seeds of doubt.
The truth came when a community rumor and a stranger’s claim pushed Emeka to conduct a DNA test. The result was devastating: the boy he had raised for eight years was not biologically his. “I cried,” he admitted, his voice weighed down with grief.
Emeka’s story is not isolated. In 2022, a Lagos man discovered none of his three children were his through DNA tests, sparking national debates about mandatory paternity testing. A year earlier, a banker revealed at a men’s conference that two of his four children were not biologically his after 20 years of marriage. Even Justice Anthony Okorodas of Delta State High Court learned in 2020 that the three children he had raised were not his.
These revelations highlight a growing crisis of trust and fidelity, amplified by social media, where countless men and women share painful or vindicating DNA test experiences. Even celebrities, such as comedian Nedu Wazobia, have been caught in the storm, bringing wider attention to the issue.
The newly released 2025 Annual DNA Testing Report by Smart DNA Nigeria underscores the scope of the crisis. Covering July 2024 to June 2025, the report revealed that one in four paternity tests returned negative. Over three years, results have consistently shown that about 25–27% of Nigerian men tested are not the biological fathers of the children in question. Strikingly, firstborns — especially firstborn sons — top the list of disputed paternity.
Migration is also fueling the demand. Immigration-related DNA cases rose to 13.1% in 2025, as families sought documentation for relocation abroad. Men remain the driving force behind these tests, accounting for nearly 90% of requests, often after years of silent suspicion.
Experts warn that this is more than a medical or legal issue — it is a cultural shift. Family sociologists say DNA testing is reshaping how Nigerians view marriage, fatherhood, and responsibility. Yet Nigeria lacks specific laws against “paternity fraud,” leaving men with little recourse after years of emotional and financial investment.
Internationally, the trend is not unique to Nigeria. In South Africa, roughly 30% of paternity tests return negative, fueling calls for legislation. In Kenya and Ghana, high-profile disputes have ignited debates over whether testing should be mandatory at birth.
What was once a rare, private procedure has become a powerful cultural force. Beneath the surface of love, trust, and family bonds, DNA testing is exposing hidden truths — and leaving many homes fractured in its wake.
Faruq Abbas, Legal Advisor and Managing Partner at Abdu-Salaam Abbas & Co., has clarified why courts cannot force an unwilling adult to undergo a DNA test.
In a short LinkedIn video lasting one minute and 40 seconds, Abbas explained that the legal framework for DNA testing varies between children and adults.
According to him, the Child Rights Act empowers courts to mandate a DNA test whenever a child’s paternity is contested, since the child’s best interest takes precedence.
However, the same rule does not extend to adults. “Can the court compel an unwilling adult to submit to a DNA test? The answer is no,” Abbas stated, stressing that DNA testing for adults remains voluntary, unlike in cases involving children.
Abbas explained that no adult can be forced to undergo a DNA test without consent.
“Where the subject is an adult, the court lacks the power to compel them to submit to a DNA test without their agreement,” he said.
He noted that such enforcement would violate constitutional rights, particularly the right to privacy. “Compelling an adult without consent would amount to a breach of their constitutional right to privacy,” Abbas added.
The lawyer further advised that paternity disputes should be addressed while the individuals involved are still minors, since once they reach adulthood, compelling a DNA test becomes legally problematic.
“In paternity matters, it is crucial that DNA tests are conducted during childhood. Once the person becomes an adult, it is very difficult to enforce such testing,” he stressed.
Abbas concluded by highlighting the need for balance — ensuring children’s rights are protected while also safeguarding the constitutional freedoms of adults.
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