 The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, has asked residents of Sokoto, Zamfara, Katzina and Niger states to protect themselves against terror groups who might want to attack or impose levies and taxes on them. The organization, which observed that there had been reports of an upsurge in killings, abductions, may mean an exploitation by AK-47-willed non-state actors in the four states, said it was high time people rose up to defend themselves against internal aggressors. CNG's national coordinator, Bala Raby Rafai, said that these were briefing journalists in Abuja after its meeting to review the security situation in the North. The CNG also condemned as totally unacceptable the suspension of Idon Mikiya programme of vision FM and its subsidiary, Farinwata TV, by the federal government, describing it as an affront to freedom of speech and expression as contained in Nigeria's constitution.