Idris Wase, the Deputy Speaker who presided over the panel on Wednesday, was furious with the officials for sending representatives.

The house had already summoned officials in response to the train attack and subsequent attacks at the Kaduna Airport.

The house summoned the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and others.

Reacting angrily to the absence of the officials, Wase refused to preside over the hearing, insisting that the head of the agencies ought to be physically present.

He said: “I am constrained as the Deputy speaker to continue the meeting because the accounting officers are the ones that are supposed to be here while we give them necessary support. So, we cannot proceed. I am saying with a heavy heart, no matter the assignment our Generals are handling, I believe the parliament requires a listening ear. This is the House of the people. I am saddened. I am not happy. I am expressing my disappointment. I do not know if you have a tangible excuse because all the agencies that we invited, none has the respect to have one chief executive. None. Maybe, we are considered to be jokers but we are not jokers.”

The army chiefs are meeting with the president, according to a military spokesperson, but Mr Wase says it does not excuse ignoring Parliament.

Wase, on the other hand, indicated that there was no reason to avoid the parliament, and ordered that the House reconvene on Thursday at 3 p.m., with all agency heads appearing before the committee.