DNA Results Change Everything: Peres Iniefe Demands Refund Over Child He Believed Was His

A paternity dispute involving former Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone Chairman, Peres Iniefe, and Catherine Japhet has sparked public debate after two DNA tests reportedly found that he was not the biological father of her child.

The controversy followed revelations about an alleged relationship between the two, which Catherine said began around 2024 while she knew that Peres was married.

According to accounts shared by both parties, Catherine became pregnant during the relationship and initially considered terminating the pregnancy. She alleged that Peres persuaded her to keep the baby, claiming that his wife had been unable to conceive.

Catherine subsequently gave birth, but the child was reportedly kept away from Peres’ wife, who was unaware of the alleged affair and the child’s existence.

Peres reportedly explained that he did not disclose the situation to his wife because they had recently lost their twins around the period the child was born. He said he did not want to add to her emotional distress at the time.

He also claimed that he provided financial support for the child, initially paying Catherine about ₦300,000 monthlybefore reducing the amount to approximately ₦70,000 after accusing her of becoming disrespectful.

Questions about the child’s paternity later emerged, prompting Peres to request a DNA test. Catherine reportedly agreed to the test, but rejected its outcome after the first result indicated that Peres was not the biological father.

She questioned the process and the facility where the test was conducted, arguing that the result needed to be independently verified through a recognised laboratory.

The disagreement eventually became a legal matter, with a second DNA test reportedly conducted as part of efforts to settle the paternity dispute.

A report dated September 17, 2026, attributed to Lynx DNA Laboratories, also returned a negative result, indicating that Peres was not the biological father of the child.

Following the second result, Peres reportedly demanded that Catherine refund the money he had spent on the child during the period he believed he was the father.

The demand has added another dimension to the dispute, which has attracted considerable attention on social media, with both parties reportedly presenting their accounts of the relationship and the events that followed.

Peres has also publicly apologised to his wife over the controversy, while Catherine has maintained her position that the paternity issue required proper verification.

The dispute has raised questions about financial responsibility, paternity testing and the consequences of relationships conducted outside marriage. However, the reported DNA findings address biological paternity; questions about whether any money should be refunded, and whether either party has a legal obligation to pay, are separate matters that cannot be determined by the test results alone.