President Muhammadu Buhari will on Friday, depart Nigeria for Monrovia, Liberia, to attend the 172nd Independence anniversary celebrations of the country.

Buhari will attend the ceremony as the Special Guest of Honour and will receive: “The Grand Cordon of the Knighthood of Venerable Order of the Pioneers” which is the Republic of Liberia’s highest national honour.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement on Thursday, said the award will be 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.”

He added that, “President Buhari will be accompanied by Governors Kayode Fayemi, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and Mai Mala Buni of Ekiti, Kwara and Yobe States respectively, as well as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Sulaiman, and other top government officials.”

The President is expected back in the country later on Friday.