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 PUNCH had on Tuesday reported that medical consultants in their hundreds flooded the Ladi Kwali Hall of the hotel to participate in the recruitment, while another exercise was scheduled for Thursday.

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

A journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Marcus Fatunde, was arrested at the venue.

Fatunde was, however, released later.

An eyewitness told The PUNCH, “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 did not want his name in print 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?

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.”

Efforts made to get the reaction of the spokesman for the DSS, Peter Afunanya, did not yield positive results as of the time of filing this report as he did not take his calls and had yet to respond to a message sent to his mobile telephone.

https://punchng.com/organisers-suspend-sarabia-recruitment-as-dss-disperses-doctors-arrests-journalist/

Hmmmmmmm, this country sha

Thank God for social media and public outcry.
Saudi Arabia would have taken away all our good medical hands in such an open manner that I see as an affront against the FG.
Even if the system isn't good, you don't carry out such exercise in a care free manner on a foreign land, just like that.
It was too glaring that they meant no good for our medical sector.
Let the FG also sit up and do the needful to take care of our professionals.

I thought Ngige said it was a welcome development. Why the volte face?

Sooner or later, I know this was gonna happen
Nigeria, a country of live and never let other live

Shameless government.....It's as if this government wakes up and asks itself, " what will I do to make the people hate me more?" .....And boom, they come up with a very good one..... I hate this government with all of my being

Enemies of progress

Shameless government.

They don't like embarrassment but will never do the right thing.

They will soon term the doctors terrorists and enemies of the state.

yinkus6750:
Thank God for social media and public outcry.
Saudi Arabia would have taken away all our good medical hands in such an open manner that I see as an affront against the FG.
Even if the system isn't good, you don't carry out such exercise in a care free manner on a foreign land, just like that.
It was too glaring that they meant no good for our medical sector.
Let the FG also sit up and do the needful to take care of our professionals.

What did you smoke?......
You are trying to be a dog in the menger

The best thing is to conduct the exercise in batches, in different states, or better let them travel to Saudi at once.

If true then Buhari is a self-serving bastard. I am a major proponent of “live and let live”

Thousands of these Doctors are unable to reach the highest potentials in their profession because this country abhors growth in whatever form.

Let them go, dear Pharoah, and find their feet in Saudi Arabia!

yinkus6750:
.

You sound like an enemy of progress! Let the people decide what is good for them. Shame on you and your politicians who have betrayed Nigerians

iamadonis22:
If true then Buhari is a self-serving bastard. I am a major proponent of “live and let live”

Thousands of these Doctors are unable to reach the highest potentials in their profession because this country abhors growth in whatever form.

Let them go, dear Pharoah, and find their feet in Saudi Arabia!

I will advise the doctors to count their losses and fight for their rights

I pledge to Nigeria my country............... Na 4 person wey no value em life

yinkus6750:
Thank God for social media and public outcry.
Saudi Arabia would have taken away all our good medical hands in such an open manner that I see as an affront against the FG.
Even if the system isn't good, you don't carry out such exercise in a care free manner on a foreign land, just like that.
It was too glaring that they meant no good for our medical sector.
Let the FG also sit up and do the needful to take care of our professionals.

LoL.. but our minister of health said we have surplus number of doctors. Why then stop them from getting recruited by a foreign country??��‍♂️What law of the land has the Saudis broken in trying to recruit Nigerian doctors? ��‍♂️