This document is often generated in the context of disputes regarding child support, inheritance, or family lineage. It serves as a sworn record of the man's position that he is not responsible for the child in question.
Legal Context and DNA
In the modern Nigerian legal landscape, a mere affidavit is often not enough to conclusively settle paternity if contested; courts frequently order DNA testing. However, the affidavit is the first step in legal proceedings. It is used to respond to claims made by a mother or her family. If a man is being pressured to pay for the upkeep of a child he believes is not his, he swears this affidavit to put his denial on official record. This protects him legally until scientific proof establishes otherwise.
Consequences
Swearing this affidavit falsely is perjury. If DNA evidence later proves the man is indeed the father, he faces not only the financial arrears of child support but also potential criminal charges for lying under oath. The document must be drafted carefully, stating clearly that the deponent has no biological link to the child and owes no obligations to them.