President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja on Friday Liberia to attend the 172nd Independence Anniversary of the country.
The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
Shehu said that apart from being the Special Guest of Honour at the event, Buhari would receive “The Grand Cordon of the Knighthood of Venerable Order of the Pioneers”, Republic of Liberia’s highest national honour.
He said: “The award is presented by the government for outstanding and distinguished service in international affairs, government, religion, art, science or commerce, and also for singular acts of philanthropy and deeds of heroism and valour.”
The aide disclosed that the president would be accompanied by Governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe.
Others on the president’s entourage are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Sulaiman and other top government officials.
According to Shehu, the president is expected back in the country later on Friday.

Muhammadu Buhari, former Nigerian military ruler and presidential candidate for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) speaks during an interview with Reuters at a private residence in Lagos February 19, 2011. Buhari, the main opposition candidate in Nigeria's presidential election, said he was optimistic it would be a more credible race than in the past but warned events in north Africa showed people would no longer accept a rigged vote. Picture taken February 19, 2011. To match Interview NIGERIA-BUHARI/ REUTERS/Akintunde Akinleye (NIGERIA - Tags: POLITICS HEADSHOT)