A 23-year-old man, Ememobong Nyong, has narrated how a forced DNA test by his paternal relatives shattered his life, leaving him homeless and emotionally broken.

Nyong, from Akwa Ibom State, said his troubles began in 2021 after disagreements over family inheritance escalated. His father’s siblings questioned his paternity and allegedly arranged a DNA test without his full consent or the presence of his maternal family. The result claimed he was not biologically related to the man who had raised him.

Raised by a carpenter who took responsibility after pressure from extended family, Nyong believed he had a father-son bond. But after the DNA result, relatives rejected him, and even the man who raised him cut ties.

• Nyong says the forced DNA test stripped him of family, identity, and emotional stability.

With no support, Nyong became homeless, surviving on menial jobs in Lagos. He battled depression and suicidal thoughts but later found solace in Christianity.

Mental health experts have since warned that paternity disputes should never lead to child rejection. Dr. Yesiru Kareem, a psychiatrist, explained that such rejection can cause depression, anxiety, identity crises, and suicidal ideation. Similarly, Dr. Juliet Ottoh, a psychologist, stressed that children interpret rejection as personal failure, damaging self-esteem and long-term trust.

Experts emphasised that while paternity fraud is rising in Nigeria, children must not suffer the consequences of parental disputes. They urged families to handle DNA revelations with compassion to prevent lifelong psychological scars.

For Nyong, survival now depends on self-reliance and online skill training. Yet he admits, “I don’t know my real father. I don’t even know my village. My identity was stolen.”

His story sheds light on the growing mental health crisis linked to DNA test rejections in Nigeria.