Despite the news reports on different media platforms, and eye witnesses accounts, reporting and recalling the sad news that operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, on Thursday, dispersed medical doctors, who gathered for job interviews, organized by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health, at the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja, the DSS officials have denied any involvement in such, saying the reports from the media and eye witnesses accounts are untrue.
As Nigerians are aware, medical doctors, including medical consultants, in their hundreds, reported at the Ladi Kwali Hall, of the Sheraton hotel, Abuja, to participate in the ongoing recruitment exercise, for medical personnel. While some doctors have scaled through the interview exercise, the doctors scheduled for Thursday, were not so lucky, since, men of the DSS, were reportedly present to disrupt the peaceful process of the employment interview.
Media reports had claimed that, the DSS operatives forcefully dispersed, the eagerly waiting doctors, seeking for greener pastures and a better life in Saudi Arabia, but the DSS has bluntly debunked the media and eye witnesses reports.
In a statement issued on Friday, August 27, and signed by the DSS spokesman, Dr. Peter Afunanya, the agency described the earlier media reports as ‘illogical’ meant to ‘embarrass’ the DSS.
According to the statement,
“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.”
The DSS therefore enjoined the press, to always get their facts right before going to press so as not to “mislead the public or undermine national security”.
Recall that, while the government, at some time, been bargaining with the medical doctors, the recent sanctions of ‘no work, no pay’, and other subtle threats issued by the government, might not be helpful in this case; for many obvious reasons.
Who else would have done it? Very evasive set of people in Nigerian government.