The study evaluates the performance and the response mechanisms of the state in curtailing the impact, activities and consequences of terrorist attacks on both the civilian and military population in Nigeria and Kenya. Specifically it evaluates the place of 'time element' and 'public confidence' as critical factors in war against terror; identifies intervening variables that influence response strategies in both countries; examines the implications of counter-terrorism strategies for public confidence building; appraises and compares Africa's counter-terrorism approaches, to draw inference from methods adopted in developed countries to establish inadequacies and propose what should constitute the time threshold in response mechanisms. Researches have claimed that the global arena is plagued by human inflicted crises and thus it is becoming unsafe for people and all that they treasure. Significantly, the African States are more affected due to the incessant terrorist attacks which unfortunately they are unprepared to combat compared to developed countries. There appears to be declining public confidence as governments in Africa display cheer acts of incompetence and unresponsiveness in the way they are handling their war against terrorism. Kenya and Nigeria are in this grip of terror hence are focused in the study. Security agencies in developed countries of the world are proactive, rely on intelligent information gathering to combat crimes unlike African States whose tactic is inept and ineffective. Relying on primary and secondary sources of data, the study emphasises timeliness and frowns at African States' problem of time indiscipline. This renders public confidence in government's counterterrorism initiatives to wane per day because nations must progress beyond early warning monitoring to early response time threshold in order to curry public confidence and support in the war against terrorism which can guarantee States' task of sustainable all-round development.