An ex-Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Saturday, pontificated sanctity of human life albeit with caution, saying “Every Nigerian life should matter.’’
This stands looked contradictory to his purported silence over the loss of thousands of innocent lives particulary women, children and the elderly to inglorious activities of the dreaded Boko Haram and rampaging Fulani herdsmen over the years without him offering concrete solution as a one-time No. 2 citizen in the country.
Writing against the background of the missing 12 young Thai footballers in a cave, Abubakar in his Twitter handle declared “I am touched by the manpower and financial expense Thailand is putting towards rescuing 12 teenagers and their young coach trapped in a cave.”
Twelve boys, aged 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach are missing inside the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex Thailand on June 23. High water levels are complicating search efforts, but officials are hoping that the group is still alive in an air-filled chamber.
The former No. 2 citizen who is gunning for presidency under Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2019 general elections last year deserted from the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, some political analysts believe, has witnessed near-pogrom and genoicidal war of human lives.
“It shows value for human life by the Thai government. This is a concept I recommend to our government.”
Recall the boys went into the cave after a match a week ago are being trapped inside the Tham Luang Nang Non 10-kilometer (6-mile) underground cave complex. Near-constant rains have hampered the international rescue effort to find them.
Rescue divers cleared a key hurdle on Sunday as part of desperate efforts to locate 12 boys and their soccer coach who went missing in a cave in northern Thai province of Chiang Rai last Saturday.
Lower water levels over the weekend allowed Thai Navy SEAL divers to get into areas they had to abandon earlier in the week because murky waters reduced visibility.
On Sunday, the SEALs pushed through the murk of a kilometer-long chamber to a passageway that could lead to where the missing may have taken shelter, said the SEALs’ commander, Rear Admiral Arpakorn Yookongkaew.
Arpakorn, however, they’re not yet where they want to be. “It’s still tough as the water stream is quite strong,” he said.
The divers’ goal is to get to an area of the cave known as Pattaya Beach, a section of the cave with a higher elevation, where authorities hope the 13 missing may have taken shelter.
“Today we made good progress, and it was a positive improvement, very positive,” Chiang Rai’s governor, Narongsak Osatanakorn, told reporters.
An international team with experts from China, Australia, the US and Britain have joined in the search.
Earlier on Saturday, a drill was held to see how long it would take to get the 13 missing boys out of the cave, into 13 ambulances and to the nearest hospital.
The boys’ parents have camped outside the caves since their sons went missing. Despite confusion and frustration, they too remain hopeful.
Emergency packages have been dropped into cave shafts containing food, beverages, a phone, a flashlight, candles, a lighter and a map of the cave in the hope the boys will be able to find them.
Posts on social media reflected that hope and support for the boys and the rescuers.
The Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non Cave complex is a popular tourist site, but often floods during the June-October rainy season.
Officials said tourists have been trapped in the cave and rescued in the past.
