Organizers of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health’s ongoing recruitment in Nigeria say they have been compelled to suspend the exercise until further notice.
The announcement comes after operatives of the Department of State Services stormed the venue of the exercise in Abuja on Thursday to disperse medical doctors taking part in the recruitment process.
Hundreds of medical experts had flooded the Ladi Kwali Hall of Sheraton Hotel to participate in the exercise, which was scheduled for Thursday in search of greener pastures in the Arab country.
However, 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 also arrested at the venue.
Fatunde was, however, released later.
“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”, an eyewitness said.
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, said that the organizers 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.
