Didier Drogba calls for peace in Ivory Coast after Benin win

Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba at a press conference

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Following his comeback to the Ivory Coast national side, Didier Drogba has urged for his home country to end their war.

After netting a brace that swallowed Benin’s initial lead and ended the clash 2-1 in favour of the Elephants, the Chelsea’s talisman made a solemn appeal to the Ivory Coast’s warring factions to stop the violence and let peace have a chance.

“We won for all Ivorians. Stop (the war) now, we want peace, we won for you, it must restore peace in Côte d’Ivoire, we will do anything to it,” Drogba said wearing an under T-shirt on which was marked “For peace in Cote d’Ivoire.”

The Ivory Coast was plunged into an unprecedented political crisis after a November 28, 2010 presidential run-off became a subject of violent contestation in which close to 500 people have lost their lives and more than 1 million displaced, according to latest figures released by the United Nations.

Nationwide insecurity has perturbed the local football league, continental club fixtures and the 2012 African Cup of Nations as well as the 2012 Olympic qualifiers.