ABUJA: DSS STORMS VENUE OF JOB INTERVIEW FOR MED. DOCTORS BY SAUDI HEALTH OFFICIALS..... Chase Away Prospective Candidates

"Some of us, who came here today, came because we don’t even have jobs and we don’t want to do the wrong things.

“Two categories of people were here today: the jobless ones and the ones who are poorly remunerated.

“We didn’t commit any crime; we just wanted a better system. So, why is the government trying to frustrate us?

Medical practitioners who had stormed the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja to participate in the recruitment drive organized by some officials from the Saudi Arabia Health Ministry, were on Thursday, dispersed by operatives of the Department of State Security Services, DSS. 

According to trending reports, the DSS operatives who arrived the venue of the recruitment and interview process, chased everybody away, thereby, disrupting the process.

A journalist, Marcus Fatunde, who reports with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, was reportedly arrested at the venue but however, was released.

An eyewitness who told PUNCH newspapers, narrated that: “When I came here, we saw the DSS operatives dispersing the people that came for the interview and before we knew it, everywhere had been scattered.

“A journalist with the ICIR, Marcus Fatunde, was also arrested, but he has been released.”

A doctor,  told PUNCH, that  “Some of us, who came here today, came because we don’t even have jobs and we don’t want to do the wrong things.

“Two categories of people were here today: the jobless ones and the ones who are poorly remunerated.

“We didn’t commit any crime; we just wanted a better system. So, why is the government trying to frustrate us?

The Vice-President, Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Adejo Arome, told The PUNCH that the organisers of the interview confirmed to him that the exercise had been suspended.

He said, “Well, some people got to the venue today (Thursday) and when they didn’t meet anyone, they called me and I confirmed from the recruiters and some other doctors that the recruitment has been suspended.

“The recruitment on Tuesday garnered coverage, because of the media publicity. It was everywhere that doctors were going to Saudi Arabia.

“The recruiters had to suspend it because the Federal Government said it felt embarrassed by the news.

“It is a big shame. The government has no right to infringe on the right of the citizens to choose to go to another country. If the system is not working, let them go to another country.”

The DSS has not commented on this news, as at the time of filing this report.