An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yakubu Musa, has chided President Goodluck Jonathan over the proposed birth control measures and insisted that the call was unthinkable even as he urged the president to drop the idea.

Speaking to Leadership in a telephone interview, Sheikh Musa urged the federal government to work out ways of addressing myriads of security challenges facing the country rather than mull birth control.

"At a time when the nation is facing serious security challenges with killings and burnings all over, the president, rather than think of how to address the fragile peace so as to protect people's lives and properties, is talking of birth control.

"It is surprising that in a democracy like this, where the power resides with the people, a politician whose source of power depends on peoples vote is contemplating birth control. This is quite unfortunate" he added.

Sheikh Musa who is the Katsina state chairman of Jamaatul Izalatil Bidiah Wa'ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) said that the president would be sending a wrong signal should he insist on making law on birth control and noted that "no right thinking Nigerian will support that.

"Birth control is against the tenets of Islam and Christianity and in contemplating that, Mr Jonathan is not representing Nigerians or the two dominant religions and since Nigerians are religious people, we will not support that. He must do away with that view soonest."

He described as unthinkable, reasons adduced by the president for the planned birth control and noted that such line of thought betrays utmost believe in the powers of God to provide for all.

The cleric insisted that the decision was likely to create an impression that government's failure to dialogue with Boko haram was a deliberate attempt to reduce the population of the north which is perceived as having the majority.