IYC Chairman, Ex-Lover Clash Over Paternity as DNA Test Sparks Fresh Controversy in Bayelsa
By Passman Akpos
A public dispute has erupted between the Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone in Bayelsa State, Pere Iniefe, and a woman, Catherine Japhet, over the paternity of a child, with both parties making conflicting claims and calling for a fresh DNA test.
In a lengthy public statement, Catherine alleged that she entered into a relationship with Pere Iniefe in 2024 and became pregnant. According to her, she initially intended to terminate the pregnancy because he was married, but claimed he persuaded her to keep the baby, explaining that he and his wife had not yet had a child.
She said she later gave birth through a Caesarean Section and agreed to keep the child’s existence secret from his wife for two years. Catherine further alleged that Pere initially accepted responsibility for the child, supported them financially, and both families were aware of the situation.
However, she claimed the relationship later deteriorated due to alleged verbal and emotional abuse, leading her to end it. According to her, matters worsened after Pere’s wife recently gave birth, alleging that he drastically reduced financial support before eventually denying being the child’s biological father.
Catherine also questioned the credibility of a DNA test she claimed was conducted outside a recognised medical facility. She alleged that she was taken to a private residence where a document was produced from a laptop rather than through what she described as a standard hospital process.
She challenged Pere to disclose the accredited medical facility, the doctor’s identity, and other details surrounding the test, while declaring her readiness to undergo a fresh DNA examination at any accredited hospital in Nigeria in the presence of both families and neutral observers.
Responding to the allegations, Pere Iniefe denied wrongdoing and maintained that he acted responsibly throughout the period he believed the child was his.
He stated that he provided accommodation, financial support, and other assistance to Catherine for nearly two years, explaining that he kept the matter away from his wife because of family circumstances, including the loss of their twin boys and his wife’s emotional condition.
Pere further disclosed that doubts over the child’s paternity arose months after birth and claimed Catherine consented to a DNA test, which he said confirmed he is not the biological father.
Rejecting allegations that the test was fake, he explained that samples were collected at a laboratory on Imiringi Road in Yenagoa and subsequently sent to Lagos for analysis. He also publicly declared his willingness to undergo another DNA test at any mutually agreed accredited laboratory.
The IYC chairman stated that if another independent test also excludes him as the biological father, he intends to seek legal redress over what he described as damage to his reputation and recover financial support allegedly provided over the past two years.
As of the time of this report, neither claim has been independently verified, and no court has ruled on the matter. The controversy continues to generate widespread reactions on social media, with many calling for an independent DNA test to conclusively determine the child’s paternity.
