The recruitment process organized by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health has been suspended following the disruption of the exercise by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Operatives of the DSS stormed Sheraton Hotel in Abuja, the venue of the recruitment process, on Thursday, to disperse medical doctors and others who showed up for the enrollment.
The exercise, which began on Tuesday, saw medical doctors and consultants in their hundreds flood the Ladi Kwali Hall of the hotel to participate in the recruitment, while another exercise was scheduled for Thursday.
But on Thursday morning, DSS operatives stormed the hotel and dispersed doctors and journalists, who had gathered at the venue.
A doctor, who spoke to newsmen said, “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?”
However, the DSS has denied dispersing applicants at the Saudi Arabian recruitment venue.
In a brief statement released on Friday morning by DSS Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunnaya, titled ‘DSS Did Not Disperse Doctors At Sheraton Hotel, Abuja’, the security outfit said, “The attention of the Department of State Services has once again been drawn to a falsehood being circulated in the media that it dispersed doctors attending a Saudi Arabia organized job interview at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, yesterday 26th August, 2021.
“Though this is illogical and does not add up, sections of the media that reported it did not care to verify the news before going to print.
“No further evidence was also adduced to prove that the DSS carried out such operation at the hotel.
“It is obvious that the news is only designed to embarrass the Organization. Journalists and other media practitioners are enjoined to crosscheck their facts and ensure that they do not use their platforms to mislead the public or undermine national security.”
