Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has condemned former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention in Nigeria over alleged “Christian genocide,” calling it sheer madness.

Soyinka spoke to journalists after meeting Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State on Friday, reacting to Trump’s comments that the U.S. might intervene “guns-a-blazing” to eliminate Islamic terrorists in Nigeria.

Trump had reportedly stated:

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

Responding, Soyinka said:

“You don’t just open your mouth and say, ‘I’m coming to help you whether you like it or not,’ without proper understanding of the complexities on the ground. To threaten to come in ‘guns-a-blazing,’ fast and viciously, is not the language of someone thinking clearly. It is madness.”

He emphasized that accepting aid from a foreign power without careful consideration could be dangerous and disrespectful to both victims and local efforts to resolve conflicts.

“Any government has an obligation to ensure the welfare of its citizens. But, at the very least, there should be respect for the victims and for those already working toward solutions,” Soyinka added.

The Nobel laureate’s remarks come amid ongoing concerns about religious violence in Nigeria and the potential implications of foreign intervention.