1. Rationale for Policy Formalisation

TSUJCMS is committed to maintaining an efficient, resource-responsible, and ethically sound editorial workflow. The processing of a manuscript from submission through to publication demands a considerable investment of time, professional labour, and institutional resources from editors, copyeditors, and independent external peer reviewers. This Manuscript Withdrawal Policy outlines the strict parameters and operational protocols that govern author requests to retract a submission from the publication pipeline.

2. Pre-Review Withdrawal Protocol

Authors possess an unconditional right to withdraw their manuscript during the initial editorial screening phase (Desk Review), prior to the formal assignment of external peer reviewers. To execute a pre-review withdrawal, the corresponding author must submit a formal, written request via email to the Editor-in-Chief, clearly stating the manuscript ID and the explicit reasons for the withdrawal. A submission is only considered officially withdrawn once the editorial office issues a formal, written confirmation of receipt and processing.

3. Ethical Restrictions During Peer Review and Acceptance

Once a manuscript has passed initial screening and has been assigned to external peer reviewers, TSUJCMS strongly discourages withdrawal requests.

· Wastage of Scholarly Resources: Unjustified withdrawals during the active peer-review phase or after formal acceptance represent a severe misuse of the valuable, voluntary intellectual labour provided by international peer reviewers.

· Prohibition of Simultaneous Submissions: Withdrawing a paper because it has been accepted elsewhere, or because the authors wish to avoid addressing rigorous peer-review critiques, is classified as academic malpractice. Manuscripts under concurrent consideration by another journal will be permanently rejected, and the authors may face a multi-year submission ban at TSUJCMS.

4. Post-Acceptance and Production Restrictions

Withdrawal requests received after a manuscript has been formally accepted, copyedited, or formatted for typesetting are highly disruptive and will only be entertained under exceptional circumstances involving verifiable research errors or ethical oversights.

· Review Fee Non-Refundability: The initial peer-review fee of ₦5,000 paid upon submission is completely non-refundable, irrespective of the timing, stage, or rationale behind a manuscript’s withdrawal.

· Unauthorised Withdrawals: If an author ceases communication or attempts to unilaterally withdraw a paper post-acceptance without a valid, scientifically sound justification, the editorial board reserves the right to proceed with a formal rejection for non-compliance or publish a notice of manuscript abandonment.