DSS Denies Storming Saudi Medical Recruitment Venue To Chase Away Applicants

The Department of State Security Services, DSS, has denied dispersing medical doctors participating in a recruitment interview organised by Saudi Arabia officials in Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

Peter Afunaya, spokesperson of the DSS made this known in a press release.

“The attention of the DSS has once again been drawn to a falsehood being circulated in the media that it dispersed doctors attending a Saudi Arabia organised 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 an operation at the hotel. It is obvious that the news is only designed to embarrass the Organisation.”

“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.”

Operatives of the Department of State Services, on Thursday, dispersed medical doctors, who stormed the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja, to take part in the recruitment interview organised by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health.

The DSS operatives stormed the hotel on Thursday morning and dispersed the doctors and journalists, who gathered at the venue.

An eyewitness said:

“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, who attended the exercise 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 Vice-President, Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Adejo Arome confirmed that the organisers of the interview have informed 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.”