Tens of thousands of Christians joined together on Saturday evening to pray for Nigeria and for more than 200 schoolgirls abducted in April.

The event followed news on Friday that a truce had been agreed between the Nigerian military and Boko Haram, the terrorist group responsible for the girls' abduction.

Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh said in a statement that all 219 of the girls still in captivity are "alive and well" and will be released in due course.

It is not the first time a deal to bring the girls to safety has been made and then broken, however. On Saturday, those gathered prayed that this time they would be released without harm.

"We hear that part of the benefits of the truce will be the release of the girls," said Pastor Agu Irukwu, the leader of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the UK. 

"We don't know whether it is authentic – but we have been praying for these girls; we must never forget them."

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has been vocal in his condemnation of Boko Haram. He has branded the girls' abduction "an atrocious and inexcusable act" and on Saturday highlighted the importance of prayer in the "renewal" of communities around the world.

He said his first priority as Archbishop was for "a renewal of prayer and of communities that pray".

"There has never been a renewal of Christian life in this country without there being a renewal of prayer," he added.

Under the banner 'The Festival of Life', the event launched three months of prayer across the UK, supported by Hope Together.

Churches working together is essential to seeing transformation, the Archbishop said. "You keep finding them popping up here and there making things happen, bringing people together and doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time."

"When Christians pray, things change," Director of HOPE Together, Roy Crowne, said.

"We hope that thousands of people will join us over the next three months as we pray for the UK."