By Our Reporter 

United States President, Donald J. Trump, has warned that he has instructed the Pentagon to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria if the government fails to halt what he described as large-scale killings of Christians, saying the US could cut off aid and even intervene to “wipe out the Islamic terrorists” he blamed for the violence.

Trump made the threat in a post on his social media platform, declaring that “the U.S. 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,” and warning the Nigerian government to “move fast.”

The statement also said Washington would immediately stop all assistance to Nigeria if the killings continued.

The Nigerian Government swiftly rejected the assertions, saying the claims did not reflect the situation on the ground and reaffirming its commitment to protecting the rights of all citizens and to tackling violent extremism through domestic measures and international cooperation.

The extraordinary exchange has prompted concern among diplomats and analysts about the prospects for escalating rhetoric to direct action, and officials on both sides have indicated continued dialogue even as tensions rise.